The Girl on TV
by JrBenson
Summary: FEMSLASH! You've been warned. The pitfalls of falling in love and being famous. Olivia/Other
1. Star Struck

Life initates art. Art imitates life. Add a dash of romance and drama...presto! You have a hit TV SHOW!

Ok...that was a bit cheesy. lol. This is my new story. The one that I had lost when I was dumb enough to leave my USB in the washing machine...yeah I know, I'm kicking myself for that.

Anywho, the stuff in _Italics _is eaqual to watching a tv show. Unless it's when some one is thinking...have I confused you yet? Keep reading, you'll get what I mean...I hope...

Disclamier: I own nothing. **In no way do the characters reflect the real individuals**. I'm a fan of _American Gladiators _and completely in love with Jennifer 'Phoenix' Widerstrom. I've changed my character's name but I'm borrowing '_Phoenix_' for my story.

Star Struck 

_BACKSTAGE PASS:_

"_I'm Dee Harris filling in for Morgan Phelps. Has Mica Davidson taken the law into her own hands?" The host smiled her plastic Hollywood smile then turned to her co-host._

"_And I'm Jose Santos. Watch my rare interview with Mica Davidson as she sets her sights on taking on New York City's toughest criminals." _

_Images flashed on the screen of the actress hamming it up with her co-star Benjamin Martinez._

"_Oh my God! Did you just see what he did! We're going to edit that, right?"_ _She playfully shoved Ben to the side and the crew laughed along with the two actors._

_Jose was joined by Dee Harris as they smiled for the camera._

_Dee Harris: "When the sun goes down…"_

_Jose Santos: "And the stars come out and play…"_

_Dee Harris: "It's all here on…"_

_Dee & Jose: "BACKSTAGE PASS!"_

Commercials flooded the screen. Olivia picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV.

"Don't even think about it Benson!" Alex ordered without looking up from her pile of files. There were law books opened all over the kitchen table.

"You're not even watching!" Olivia whined. She had decided to take up Alex's offer of an evening of pizza and the company of the former ADA. She didn't know she was going to be subjected to the fake smiles of _BACKSTAGE PASS _hosts all by herself.

"I'm almost done…. Finished!" Alex said triumphantly. She began to put away the files and books. Olivia sighed and slumped farther into the comfy couch.

"Don't give me that Olivia. I've been waiting for this interview for days…" the blondesaid as she plopped down beside the tired detective. She tucked her knees under her chin and grabbed the remote from Liv's hand.

"Don't change it," she said as she pointed the remote at Olivia. Liv smirked and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Why are _we_ watching this?" Liv asked again.

"Because I want to see that interview with Mical Davidson. Apparently, she's agreed to do the spin-off that lawyer show _Justice Served. _It's some kind of cop show or something…"

Olivia moaned out loud. "Great, just what we need. More bad cop shows…ow!" Liv rubbed her arm where Alex hit her.

"Would you be quiet?" Alex turned to the TV and watched it intently. "You know…Mical _is_ kinda cute…"

"You know, for a straight girl, you're really gay…" Liv ducked in time to dodge a flying cushion.

"You are such a dork!…it's on! Shhh!" Alex cried out in excitement. Olivia just rolled her eyes and sat back expecting to be bored out of her mind.

"_From the bright lights of L.A. to the mean streets of New York, Mical Davidson is preparing for her toughest role yet." __Said the eager host. Flashes of the actress in various roles peppered the TV screen. _

"_I__ got the chance to visit the star on the brand new set of 'Justice Served: Special Victims'. The new drama in the 'Justice Served' franchise."_

_Pictures and clips of the original series were shown. Jose was now seated in front of Mical Davidson._

"_First of all, what attracted you to this role? I mean, this is some really dark stuff…" _

_Mical was quiet for a moment. She took a second to gather her thoughts before she answered. She always did that when interviewed. She never wanted to say or do anything that may offend those around her._

"_Yeah it is. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was ready to handle a serious role like this. I was given the script a few months in advance and I just couldn't stomach it at first…"_

"_You mean you were going to pass on this?" Jose, for his part, was very interested._

Olivia noted that the guy didn't look old enough to even be working let alone interviewing one of the most decent yet wildly popular stars.

She turned her attention to MicalDavidson. Yes, she was very beautiful in a sorta non-conspicuous way. She had the kind of beauty that people wouldn't notice. Olivia found that kind of beauty attractive and she was drawn to it the second she had seen Mical Davidson in a magazine.

_Mical nodded and smiled.__ "But you have to realize, this kind of stuff happens everyday. Pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV…its right there in front of you."_

"_So what changed your mind?"_

"_My dad…" _

"_Your dad? Really? How so?" Jose's ears perked up. Everyone in the entertainment world knew that the actress rarely, if ever, spoke of her life prior to her acting career. _

_Micalsighed and paused again. She realized that she had said too much and was now regretting it. Seeing no way of way out of it, she gave Jose the condensed, edited version of what really happened. _

"_Well…" Micalsaid slowly, "he was a cop back in L.A. In fact, he was a detective in the Sex Crimes Unit." Knowing that she had opened a can of worms, Mical hoped that this would satisfy Jose Santos. _

_Apparently, it did nothing to deter Jose from asking__ for more. With eyes wide as saucers, Jose leaned forward and peppered the quiet actress for more. _

"_Really? He convinced you to take the role?"_

_Taking a breath, Mical was visibly uncomfortable. "Uh…yeah, you can say that. We had a long talk…" She started to squirm in her seat as the questions started getting too personal. _

"_So h__e approves of you taking the role?" …_

"Why can't that idiot see she doesn't like that line of questioning?" Liv said irritated from watching _Jose Santos_ interrogate the star. Alex smirked as she watched Olivia's brows knot together.

"Protective, aren't' we detective?" Olivia just glared at her friend.

"Well…_yes_. Personally, I enjoy her work. I still think she should have gotten the lead in that TV movie. What was it called…_Beyond Repair_…she was amazing in that. Instead they had that blonde bimbo Kerry Madison as the lead. She can't even act if her life depended on it!"

Alex laughed quietly at her friend. Olivia was never one to get into the whole celebrity thing. Not like herself anyways. Something about Mical Davidson tugged at her friend's heart.

"Well, I'll remember to mention it to her when I bump into her…" Alex laughed out loud as she watched Olivia's eyes widened. "I'm kidding Olivia! I have a greater chance at winning the lottery then I do bumping into Mical Davidson!"

"Oh…shut up!" Olivia pouted and turned back to the TV. Alex just laughed harder.

_Micalsome how managed to deter Jose long enough to givehim an exclusive tour of the new set. _

"_As you can see, some of it is still being built…" she had pointed to the area that was going to be the interrogation room. They walked farther and Mical indicated several sets and props as they went along. _

_After 5 minutes of the mini tour, the two were back in the room. _

"_Will you be doing any research before you jump into the role?" _

"_Oh yeah…of course. I hate not being able to portray a character right. I have a lot of respect for law enforcement officers so I want to do this right. Make them proud."_

"_I'm sure you'll do an amazing job. You're lined up with some of the best of the best this business has to offer…"_

"_Oh my God! Yeah! I feel like a kid in a toy store!" Mical said with a laugh. When she smiled that way, it made her look much younger then her 36 years._

_Jose laughed as well and begun ticking of names on his fingers as he spoke. "You've got Benjamin Martinez, Sam Knight, Dennis Coffee, Paul Chase and former teen idol Anthony Cook. What's that gonna be like? Working with those guys…"_

"_You know what? I'm just as star struck as the rest of you. Ben and I have known each other for a while. He is the most __down to earth man I've ever encountered. He's got that dry sense of humour. We just click. Sam…coolest guy ever! Dennis and Paul...insanely funny! They have this slap shtick humour. It's unbelievable! Tony…where ever he goes, there has to be at least two dozen girls following him. But he is the sweetest person you'll ever get to meet. _

"_He is also the shyest…the first day I met him, he literally was blushing. He is so, so shy. I wish all pop stars turn out like him. He's awesome! I'm so proud to be a part of such a diverse cast."_

_Jose nodded and glanced down at his notes. "It also mentions that Kerry Madison will be joining as well…"_

To the untrained eye, Mical looked cool and calm when asked. But Olivia picked up on the very subtle change in Mical Davidson. She seemed to tense up at the name.

"Did you see that?" She asked out loud.

"See what?" Alex looked back and forth from the TV to Liv. Shaking her head, Olivia just shrugged it off.

"Never mind…" she mumbled.

_Mical chose her words very carefully. "Yes, it's true. She'll be joining us on the show but she'll mostly be doing an episode here and there…"_

"_Really? An A -Lister like herself__…" Jose commented not noticing the slight stiffness Mical held herself. _

"_Well, she's got a really __a busy schedule so it was a bit of a surprise that she agreed to do it." She said tightly. _

"_You two worked previously on Beyond Repair…think you'll have that kind of chemistry again? Even though she won't have much screen time…"_

_Sighing loudly, Mical was clearly not in the mood to talk about the snobby actress. _

"_I don't know…you'll just have to wait and see," Mical said diplomatically. She plastered on a tight lipped smile for both Jose and the camera._

Olivia shook her head slight annoyed herself at Jose Santos. The guy was starting to be a pain in the ass.

"_You're well known for your on – again, off - again relationship with a particular Gladiator…" Jose wasn't going to let up. The interview that started out great was turning into a bit of a witch hunt._

_An undated video clip of Mical Davidson dressed in blue jeans, a white t-shirt, sunglasses, baseball cap and her trademark leather jacket, was shown. She was leaving a building with a beautiful pink haired muscular woman trailing behind her. It was obvious that they were a couple since they were holding hands tightly._

_The video was obviously filmed by a fan or one of those gossip shows that hound celebrities. The two were weaving in and out of the busy streets of New York. The short clip ended showing a very frustrated and irritated Mical Davidson._

_Pinching the bridge of her nose and counting to ten silently, Mical took a calming breath. Her smile was more forced then before. _

"_It's been over for a long time. If that's what you're going to ask. I haven't seen her in almost 2 years so it's really over and I wish her all the best."_

_Jose finally got the hint and backed off on anymore personal questions. The rest of the interview went a bit more smoothly. _

_Back in the studio, Dee was seen with her fake smile and her Barbie doll waistline._

"_Wow Jose! That was some interview."_

_Nodding, Jose smiled. "Catch more on Mical Davidson on our website. Well have more interviews with the rest of the cast later on this week."_

"_Thanks Jose. Pop sensation Tabatha is at it again, this time getting pulled over for drunk driving…"_

Alex picked up the remote and flipped it to American Gladiators. She glanced at Olivia who looked a bit…pissed.

"Uh-oh…what's wrong this time?" Alex said with a smirk on her face. Liv just glanced at her friend and rolled her eyes.

"Nothing. That interviewer was a bit of a…"

"Sneaky ass? Yeah, I've noticed. But that's not our problem. I think Mical handled herself well considering. Besides, she's probably used to all that crap anyways…"

Alex got up to phone for the pizza. Olivia sat quietly fuming. She wasn't even sure why she felt this protective about a complete stranger whom she will never meet. Shaking her head Liv got up and headed for the kitchen.

Alex quietly followed her and watched from the door way of the kitchen. "You're really irritated by that interview, aren't you?" She was genuinely surprised by Liv's reaction. She normally gagged at the celebrity hype.

Shrugging, Olivia leaned against the counter and popped open her can and took a sip. "I just didn't like the interviewer…very pushy…" She pushed herself off and went back to the couch. Alex crossed her arms over her chest and followed Liv and sat next to her.

They watched Gladiators in silence, occasionally poking fun at the hapless contestants. Olivia kept her eyes on one particular Gladiator – a pink haired woman by the name of 'Phoenix'.

Her eyes followed ever move she made. _I can see why Mical would be interested in her…perfect hair, smile, and cute dimples, physically fit…hell! She had perfect teeth! _

"_Hello!_ Anyone in there?" Alex was waving a hand in front of Liv's face for the last 5 minutes. Snapping out of it, Olivia blushed as she looked at Alex.

"What?"

"Really, Liv…you need to get out more…" Alex ducked as a pillow narrowly missed her head. She laughed at the look Liv was giving her.

"Ok…I'm outta here. I've had enough ego bashing for one night…" She got up and headed for the door. Alex jumped up and blocked Olivia's path and placed her hands on Liv's shoulders.

"Ok, ok…I'm sorry. No more bashing. I promise. Please stay…we haven't gotten a chance to just hang out with each other the past few months…," the blonde pleaded. Sighing, Olivia just rolled her eyes and hugged her friend.

Stepping back she slid an arm around Alex's waist and led her to the couch. "I know, work's been…hectic. With Chester getting arrested and Casey leaving…" Liv trailed off and ran a hand through her wavy hair.

Alex patted Olivia's thigh. "I know…" she said softly. She rested her head on Liv's shoulder and felt Olivia place her arm on the back of the couch. "You know, if I were gay, I'd totally be your girlfriend…" Alex said with a smile.

Olivia felt her stress fade away and she smiled. "Well, you _are_ my straight girlfriend…" They both laughed. They had heard the rumours and speculation about their relationship from their co-workers. The two loved to tease the guys at work by standing extra close or making it a point stare longer then necessary for good measure.

"If you were my girlfriend, you would have dumped me a long time ago…" Olivia said very quietly. Alex sighed. They had this conversation a million times before and it seemed that Olivia believed it more and more.

Alex was spared the snappy comment when she heard the door chime. Uncurling herself from Liv's embrace, she padded to the door.

_Liv…you're going to change your mind about that…I'll make sure of it…_Alex thought.

* * *

"Mical, you've got to relax and calm down…"

Spinning on her heal, Mical glared at her friend and co-star. "Calm down! How does one calm down when you're dealing with a Prima Donna! She can't even walk and talk at the same bloody time without falling down!"

Mical was fuming, Ben knew. Kerry was up to her antics again and it was grinding on everyone's nerves and it was only the second day of production. He also knew that these two women did not get a long. Where Kerry was full of herself and always demanding attention, Mical was quiet and respectful of those around her – almost invisible at times.

It was the only reason he signed on to do the show. He had worked with Mical on a few smaller projects and he admired her work ethic as well as her personality.

"Two of the best director's have already walked out of here because of her! What the hell was Donavan Kane thinking when he signed her!" Mical was pacing the small dressing room. Benjamin sat in silence and watched as Mical let out steam.

"I don't know either. I'm not fond of the woman myself but we don't have much of a choice here. Look…it's no use in blowing up at her crap. It's what she wants anyways. Why don't we do what we're paid to do? Say our lines and make sure we do a hell of a job of it. Once the camera's stop rolling, we don't associate our selves with her. Sound good to you?"

Mical stopped in front of Ben and sighed. She was calmer now then when she stormed his dressing room. Nodding, she ran a hand through her short hair and sat down next to Ben.

They were quiet, lost in there own thoughts.

"I saw your interview the other night…" Ben started to say but stopped as he saw Mical's face. "I take it, it didn't go so well?"

Mical rubbed her hand over her tired face. "You can say that. This is why I hate doing interviews…their vultures."

"Welcome to the Hollywood life, buddy. At least Santos didn't go through your trash…"

"You're kidding me right?"

"Nope. Megan found him going through our trash one night a few years ago. Scared the kids shitless. Megan came running out with a bat in her hand, screaming. Santos took off screeching like a turkey!"

They both laughed at the thought of Ben's small wife scaring off a man half her size.

"How are Megan and the girls?"

Ben eyed his friend knowing what she was trying to do. "They're fine. And they miss you like crazy…"

"I miss them too…"

"Don't try and change the subject either."

Mical let out a breath. She was quiet and Ben waited patiently for her to say something.

"You think that'll ever happen to me?" She asked softly. Those close to Mical knew of her fear of loosing that kind of privacy. It was a fear shared by many stars, a lot of them opting for the easy release of drugs and the fast life.

But Mical Davidson was the very rare few that had a gift of story telling. And she had a quiet way about her that made her even more vulnerable to attacks by those in the media.

"I can't promise you that it won't happen. Now that you've opened up that can of worms about your dad, it's open season…"

"That's not what I meant. I can deal with that. I mean, you think I'll ever find what you and Megan have?"

Ben knew that the break up with Jenna 'Phoenix' Storm had a deep effect on her. Although Jenna was 7 years younger, the two seemed good for each other – at the time. Then Jenna got the part she had been dreaming of – _Gladiator Games_. Jenna had packed her bags, and left Mical in a half empty condo. The only goodbye was from a sticky note left on the fridge.

Since then, Mical had kept to herself. She went from work then straight home to an empty apartment in upper Manhattan. Ben was thoughtful for a moment.

"Yeah, you will. Just as soon as you quit being a damn monk…" he teased. His smile got wider when he saw Mical laughing quietly.

Slapping Mical on the back, Ben got up and stretched. Motioning for her to follow, Ben smirked as he spoke, "Come on. Let's see how long _this_ director stays before he jumps ship…"

Grinning, Mical followed Ben out of the room and down the hall. "20 bucks says he'll be outta here in…less then an hour," Mical offered as she glanced at her watch. Rubbing his hands together, Ben had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Ok…how bout I up the ante? I'll see your 20 and raise you 80…"

"Feeling lucky now, are we? You're on!"

They laughed and headed for the boardroom where the big bosses and producers were. They were going to have a meeting about schedules and of course, Kerry Madison.

"By the way, have you found any detectives that you can shadow for a bit?" Ben asked as they rounded a corner.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to be meeting with the captain in a couple days, so we'll see…"

"Cool…"

Mical raised an eyebrow. "Benny, you really need to stop speaking like your kids…" she teased. Ben just took a teasing swipe at Mical and both laughed.

They stopped in front of a door that read: DONAVAN KANE. They took a breath and stared at each other.

"Ready?"

"Yup…into the lions den we go…" Mical whispered as Ben knocked.

* * *

"Olivia my office please," Cragen signalled for his detective. Liv looked at her partner but Elliot just shrugged.

"At least he said _please_," Elliot said cheekily as Olivia headed for the office. She gave the captain a questioning glance as she stepped inside.

"Have a seat. I'm sure you've heard that Mical Davidson is filming in New York…"

"Oh no…" Liv groaned. "I'm gonna be a babysitter?"

"Well…I'm a little too old for a babysitter don't you think?" Said the voice. Olivia snapped around to see Mical Davidson leaning against the wall behind the door. Mical stepped out of the shadows and slid her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. She gave Olivia a small smile and looked back at the captain.

Clearing his throat, Cragen awkwardly introduced the two women. "Ms. Davidson this is Detective Olivia Benson. Olivia this is Ms. Davidson…" Mical held out her hand and Liv shook it, still not quite over her embarrassment and shock.

"Please, call me Mical…" she said gently and took the seat next to Olivia.

"Detective Benson was just saying how she'd love to be partnered with you for the next couple of weeks." Captain Cragen looked directly at Olivia. She squirmed slightly and smiled awkwardly.

Mical smiled at Olivia's discomfort and found it cute. "I promise I won't get in the way. You won't even know I'm there…" Mical said sincerely.

"Um…I…that's not a problem…" Olivia stuttered, finally finding her voice. Again Mical smiled warmly at Olivia which only made it harder for Liv to breathe.

_She's so beautiful…_

"OLIVIA!"

Jumping at the sound of Cragen's voice, Liv turned a dark shade of red as she heard the woman beside her laugh quietly. She turned to see Mical covering her smile with a well placed hand. She looked up and stared at Liv with smiling eyes.

Olivia couldn't help but return the smile. She quickly turned and spoke to Cragen. "Sorry sir…my mind was else where."

"I'm sure it was…Mical, when would you like to start?"

"Well, as soon as possible. The sooner I have a handle on the ins and outs of Special Victims, the better chance I have at not making a complete fool of myself or the unit."

"Detective?" Cragen looked at Olivia expectantly.

"Well…it looks like it's going to be a bit of a slow day…"

"Good." Then looking at Mical, Captain Cragen smiled and spoke evenly. "Today work with you?" Mical solemnly nodded. "Well then. Welcome aboard…" Cragen stood and held his hand out. "I'm sure you two can come to some sort of ideal schedule."

Mical immediately shook it then turning to Olivia, she gave an apologetic smile. Getting up slowly, Olivia sighed. _I'm never going to live this down with the rest of the squad…_

Opening the door, Liv motioned for Mical to follow her out. Mical slipped on her baseball cap and pulled it low around her eyes and obediently followed the detective out.

Elliot looked up from his computer and threw a questioning glance at Liv. As soon as they were close enough, Olivia made the introductions.

"El, this is Mical Davidson. Mical, this is my partner Detective Elliot Stabler…"

"_The _Mical Davidson?" Elliot was amazed at meeting the actress.

Smiling, Mical nodded. "Yup, that's me." She held her hand out and firmly shook Elliot's hand.

"My eldest is a big fan of yours…" He smiled as Mical blushed.

"Well…uh…thanks…" Mical stammered and she blushed deeply. Elliot sensed that Mical wasn't used to that kind of attention.

Clearing her throat, Olivia reached over and grabbed a couple of files. "Wish we could do this all day but we have work to do. I'll be upstairs with Ms. Davidson going over a few things if you need me."

Taking the hint, Elliot nodded. "Its nice meet you…"

Mical smiled, "like wise." She turned and followed Olivia up the stairs and sat in the chair the detective indicated.

"This is how it's going to be…" Olivia said firmly. Mical listened intently as Liv laid out the ground rules.

"…And you're in now way going with me when my partner and I get called out to a…"

"No…"

"Excuse me?" Olivia was slightly taken by surprise.

"I said no…" Mical said seriously. When she researched for a role, she wanted to know ever aspect of the work involved. And if it meant getting up at two in the morning to do it, then so be it.

"That's not negotiable. It's dangerous for one, and you're a civilian. We don't have regular hours like the rest of the world. We can get called out to a scene at any time of day _or_ night…"

"I'm up for the challenge…" Mical retorted.

"This is no movie…people can do unthinkable things to another human being. This isn't a joke..."

"Did I say it was a joke?" Mical snapped back. She was dead serious. Olivia could see the anger in her eyes at the implication.

"Look…I'm sorry…"

Mical waved off the apology. "Just because I get to play 'pretend' doesn't mean I don't know what happens in the real world. I know…trust me _I know_…"

The way Mical said it made Olivia wonder if she was speaking from experience. Olivia made a mental note to ask about it some time.

Mical had a solution to their little problem. "Tell you what. If something happens that may put me or others in danger, I'll back off. But I need to know how it's done so I can do my job right…I'm going on your calls."

Olivia didn't like it but she didn't have a choice. "Fine. But you do as I say. Understood? You follow my every order, no screwing around with that," she said firmly.

All of a sudden, Mical gave her a big smile that would have knocked Olivia on her butt if she hadn't been sitting already. "Deal!" Olivia found herself smiling despite herself and found herself studying the beautiful features of Mical's face.

Olivia noticed a subtle blush creeping up Mical's face. She realized she had been staring. "Sorry…" Liv mumbled as she busied herself with organizing the files she had in her hand.

Clearing her throat, Mical just nodded and gestured to the files in Olivia's hands. "What are those, if you don't mind me asking?"

Grateful for the distraction, Olivia got down to familiarizing Mical with some of the cases that she and Elliot were working on.

"Well, these are some of the things you're gonna need to get used to seeing…" Olivia opened up a file and slid it over to Mical who got busy with reading the reports.

After a few minutes, Mical had to close the file and momentarily look away. She swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat and she shut her eyes to keep out the images that flooded her mind.

"You ok?" Olivia's husky voice was gentle. Mical tried to speak but she was having difficulty with the task. Olivia quickly moved to Mical's side and had a comforting hand on her back.

"Why don't we take a break? Maybe take a walk outside…get some fresh air." Olivia suggested. She was noticing the woman was turning a good shade of pale. Olivia regretted showing her the case file.

Nodding slowly, Mical cleared her throat and tried to speak again. "That be a good idea…" she said roughly. Olivia gently helped Mical up by slipping a hand under one arm and wrapping the other arm around Mical's shoulder.

Olivia felt the muscles in Mical's arm and shoulders. _Nice…_inhaling sharply, Olivia shook the thoughts that came after. She still had a hand underneath Mical's arm as they went down the stairs.

Olivia reached out and dropped the files on her desk then grabbed her jacket off of her chair.

"We're just gonna take a walk…" Olivia said to Elliot as he watched the two women go. He nodded and went back to staring blankly at his computer screen.

"40 bucks says they're gonna do more then just 'walk'…" John said with a wiggle of his brow. Fin rolled his eyes as Elliot tossed a balled up paper at him.

"I guess I'll be spending my well earned 40 by myself…" John said a bit disappointed.

"Like that's anything new..." Fin retorted with a smirk. Elliot quietly laughed as John feigned hurt.

* * *

Outside, Mical stumbled a bit but regained some of her composure as she took in a gulp of air.

"Thanks…" she said quietly. She leaned against the wall and put her hands on her knees and breathed in deeply.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shown you that…" Olivia started but stopped as Mical shook her head.

"Don't be. You probably did it to shake me up a bit, right?" Mical said with a small smile on her face. The guilty look on Liv's face gave her away. Olivia tried to apologize again but Mical stopped her.

"No worries. I get you're not to keen with the idea of having to…uh…baby-sit me. It's cool."

Shaking her head, Olivia wanted to explain. "No it's not. I was completely out of line. Both in Cragen's office and when I showed you that file. Yeah, I wanted to make you see what you were in for…"

Nodding, Mical shoved her hands in her pockets. "I understand. When I have to do some research on a part, that's usually the same reaction I get. Actually, that's pretty much the reaction I get in general," Mical said with an embarrassed laugh. Olivia, however, didn't find it funny.

She was going to comment on it when Mical asked if she had eaten anything today. "No I haven't yet…"

"Great! Let's go and eat then. I'm starving!" Mical turned on her heel and started to walk. Olivia shook her head slightly as she caught up with the actress. Her gut was telling her that Mical was hiding something.

_Not that it's any of your business, Detective, _Olivia thought. Sighing, Olivia quietly followed Mical watching the reaction of some of the people they passed. Some did a double take, while others stared wide eyed.

Realizing they had stopped outside one of the most expensiverestaurants, Olivia kindly declined. "Detective, I'm buying. Don't worry about a thing." Mical smiled and winked as she held the door open for Olivia.

_What the hell…you only live once…_Olivia gave a small smile and went inside followed by Mical. Immediately, Mical was greeted with a warm smile and a hug by the owner himself.

"Hey Mic! Long time no see, man! Where the hell have you been?" The owner said with a friendly slap to the back. Mical smiled brightly at him and shrugged.

"I've been busy…" she said quietly. She hated talking about work with her friends.

"No kidding! And who might this lovely lady be?" He turned to Olivia and held out his hand.

"This is detective Benson, a friend of mine," Mical replied before Liv had the chance.

"A pleasure to meet you…. You two must be starving. This way…I'll show you to your seats." The two women followed him to the back of the restaurant, far away from prying eyes.

"Thanks, Bobby. You're the best…"

"You know me. I try!" He said with a smirk. They laughed then he went to get them their drinks.

Olivia looked around in amazement. "You know the owner?"

Nodding, Mical fiddled with her napkin. "Yeah. His wife is a close friend of mine." Bobby came back with their drinks.

"So ladies, what will it be?" Olivia glanced over the menu then made her selection. "Let me guess…the usual?" Laughing, Mical nodded shyly. "You got it boss." He quickly turned and headed for the kitchen.

Olivia eyed Mical suspiciously. "The usual? Dare I ask?" Mical laughed out loud.

"It's a really expensive version of a burger and fries…"

Eyes widening, Olivia stared in shock. "I thought you celebrities are supposed to splurge on cars or jewellery."

"Eh…I don't need more then one car. And jewellery…don't need 'em," Mical shrugged. Olivia shook her head.

"So how do you know the owner and his wife?" Olivia leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table.

"I actually set them up…" Mical said with a proud smile. Stella and Bobby were perfect for each other. No one could be more in love then those two.

Olivia watched as Mical's face brightened as she spoke of her friends. "So, not only are you an actress, but you're also cupid…" she said with a hint of a smile.

Playing along, Mical pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh…don't tell anyone else. It'll ruin my image." Olivia laughed.

Bobby came back with their food. "Enjoy ladies." He turned and headed for the kitchen again. They ate in silence, quietly savouring their meal. They were half way done when a group of young women came up to the table. They were giggling like school girls.

"Um…excuse us, but aren't you Mical Davidson?"

Smiling at them, Mical shrugged. "So I've been told."

The taller one of the group elbowed her friend next to her and whispered, "Told you it was her!" Mical patiently waited as they calmed down long enough to ask for an autograph.

"Of course. Who should I make it out to?" She pulled out a pen from her pocket and took the napkin she was offered.

"Rhonda. My name is Rhonda…" said the tall woman. She gave a little squeal as Mical handed the napkin back.

"Do you mind if I take your picture?" Asked another. Mical looked at Olivia apologetically and reluctantly got up and posed with the group of woman as another took the picture. The women thanked Mical profusely as they left the restaurant.

Mical sat back down. "I'm sorry about that. Normally, I'm left alone…"

Olivia smiled softly. "It's alright. I think you've just made their year…" Feeling herself bush at the compliment, Mical looked away.

Bobby came rushing out. "I'm so sorry about that Mical…"

Mical waved the apology off with a kind smile. "No worries man…that's alright. Don't worry…"

"I promise that won't happen again…"

"Bobby! It's cool. You don't have to do that…really. It's alright…" Bobby still looked unconvinced but just nodded. To make it up to them, dessert would be on the house. Olivia was about to decline when she felt Mical's warm hand on hers. She looked at the other woman, trying to remember to breath.

Mical shook her head slightly and winked. She turned to Bobby and smiled brightly. "If that's the case, give us the most expensive thing you've got in here!" Bobby smiled giving him his appearance a more boyish look.

"Coming right up!" He practically bounced all the way to the kitchen. Mical hadn't removed her hand from Liv's and Olivia was pretty content with not moving hers either. They sat quietly as the waited for dessert to arrive.

Occasionally they would catch each other staring at the other. They'd smile sheepishly then look away only to do it all over again. Dessert finally came and the two thanked Bobby.

It was a huge piece of dark chocolate cake. "Wow…where do you want to start?" Olivia asked. Mical playfully turned the plate over and over, examining it.

"Hmmm…well, this side does have more chocolate…but that has more frosting on it…"

Laughing at the silliness of it, Olivia made the decision for her. She took her fork and took a piece of cake from Mical's side. As the cake hit her taste buds, Olivia moaned in satisfaction.

"This is amazing…" she said with her mouth full. She looked up to see Mical staring at her with a look that was unreadable. She took another piece of cake and offered it to Mical.

The other woman took the cake into her mouth and was surprised. "Mmmm…that is good." Mical then feed Olivia another piece of cake. They went on like that until they had both finished off dessert.

Olivia glanced down at her watch and nearly jumped out of her skin. "We gotta go. It's already two o'clock…"

"Oh shit! I'm sorry Liv!" Mical quickly reached for her wallet as Bobby came out.

"Forget about it. It's on the house…but come back soon though." He said. Mical gave him a quick hug.

"Thanks. I will, I promise. Say hello to Stella for me." Mical held out her hand for Olivia who took it without realizing what she was doing.

They both dashed for the door and quickly headed for the precinct.

"You're not going to get into trouble are you?" Mical asked worried. Olivia glanced at Mical and smiled gently.

"Nah…I've been in worse situations then this…" They stepped off of the elevator and walked quickly to Olivia's desk.

Elliot was there as was Fin, Munch and Captain Cragen. _Oh man…I'm in shit now…_Olivia thought.

She was about to explain why she was out for so long when Cragen handed her a slip of paper.

"You, Elliot and Mical get to Belleview. 18 year old was raped…" Olivia quickly took a breath then motioned for Mical to follow close behind. Elliot was already at the elevators.

All three stood quietly as they waited to reach the lobby. They all climbed out and made their way to the car with Mical sitting in the back.

"Time to get your feet wet _detective_Davidson…" Elliot said as he drove.

_I hope I know what I'm doing…_Mical thought as they raced to the hospital.

* * *


	2. Training Day

I own nothing.

This chapter is a tad shorter then the other. I'll do better next time. Side note: does anyone know what position Munch has now? Is it Sergent or Staff Sargent? I couldn't remember...

Side note 2: I don't know what kind of personality the new ADA has so I'm just gonna use my crazy imagination.

Cheers!

* * *

Training Day

"We know you did it Harvey. Your DNA, your prints…they're all over Anita…" Olivia had been in interrogation with Harvey Wells for the past two and a half hours. The skinny man knew it was done and over with but he wasn't going to budge an inch.

"How do you know it was me? Somebody is framing me, man!"

"I doubt that. Not when witnesses place you at the scene. And Anita remembers in detail how you got…uh…stage fright…" Liv taunted. Harvey's eyes flashed red.

That was the last straw for Harvey. He shot up like a rocket but Olivia had anticipated his move and quickly stepped to the side to avoid getting tackled. In one swift motion, Olivia had him against the wall with a hand behind his back.

"BITCH!"

"That was a very stupid thing to do Harvey. Not only will you be charged for rape but you can also add assaulting a law enforcement officer. It's not looking good for you at all…"

Elliot thought it was time to intervene. He opened the door and slid into the room. He leaned back against the wall across from Liv and Harvey and crossed his arms over his chest. He just stared as if he had nothing better to do.

"YOU WANT TO TAKE A SHOT AT ME TOO!" Harvey screamed at Elliot.

Elliot shrugged. "Nah…I'm good. By the looks of it, Detective Benson is doing a better job then I can." He smiled as he winked at his partner.

"DUDE! TELL HER TO STOP, MAN! AHHHH!" He winced in pain as Liv twisted his arm ever so slightly.

"I will…but she's just waiting for you to tell the truth. She really hates it when you lie to her…" Elliot said in a not so concerned voice. He slipped his hands in his pockets and wandered over to the table and faced the two way mirror.

* * *

"How do you do it?" Mical asked quietly. Fin, John and the new ADA all stared at her. They forgot that she was there. In the past few days Mical had integrated herself into this very selective group and became one of 'the guys'.

Fin turned back to the two way mirror and watched quietly for a moment. "Somebody has to…" he said softly. John and Fin worked well together although John didn't see much action anymore since he made Sergeant.

She and Fin got on well. She sensed a deeper reason for his joining SVU. Fin reminded her of the young police officer that helped her as a child. He looked tough and acted tough but he cared too much for the victims that he tried to protect.

John looked like the kind of cop that had seen too much but still kept doing the work. There were moments when he thought no one was looking that Mical saw sadness in his eyes. Despite his aloof manner or his gallows humour, there was a haunted man buried deep inside.

Their ADA was quiet. She, like Mical, was new to SVU. She hadn't found her place yet and was still working out whether or not she wanted to fit in with this Motley Crew.

Just then Olivia and Elliot came out with the suspect in cuffs.

"I swear to God! I'm going to sue for police brutality!" Harvey stated as he was being led away. Olivia had to bite her tongue in order not to hit the guy. The ADA just smirked at him.

"Oh yeah tough guy? You have a room full of witnesses who saw you trying to attack Detective Benson. I'd like to see who'd believe a rapist." Harvey's eyes went wide as Elliot continued to drag him to a holding cell.

Turning to Olivia the ADA ordered, "I want those reports on my desk before my dinner gets cold." With that, she turned on an expensive heel and walked out.

Olivia just stared at the dust that had picked up as there ADA speed through the halls. Glancing at John and Fin, Liv just rolled her eyes.

"How long do you think this one will last?" John said as he and Fin made there way out of the room.

Smirking, Olivia was her cocky self. "I don't know…depends…" She turned to Mical and gestured for her to go first through the door. Mical smiled and winked at Liv who returned the gesture in kind. Olivia and Mical had gotten closer in the course of a few days.

Maybe it was because it was so good to finally have another woman in the squad – granted it was only pretend and Mical would leave in a couple of weeks. Olivia wasn't sure what the reason was, but she felt good.

Fin snorted. "Depends on what?"

"Depends on who she pisses of first. Branch or Donnelly."

Fin winced and whistled low. "Man…that was harsh…"

"Yeah. But it's the truth, my friend." Supplied the voice of reason in the group – John Munch.

Olivia had schooled Mical on their two former ADA's – Alex Cabot and Casey Novak. Both were great in their own right but neither were the same. Alex got results with out breaking the rules too much. Casey went all out for the unit. It normally landed her in serious hot water with Branch or Donnelly, but she got the goods when SVU needed it.

Although Casey finally struck out on the last case they worked together by breaking every rule there was. She would be greatly missed.

Olivia and Mical sat next to each other on the edge of Liv's desk as they joked with John and Fin. Elliot finally came back from booking covering one of his ears and wincing.

"What's wrong?" Olivia and Mical straightened themselves up.

"The guy just wouldn't shut up. My ear is ringing from all that yapping…" he shook his head for added effect. The rest of the group laughed at that.

Turing to Mical, Olivia smiled. "It's almost time for lunch. Did you want to go grab a bite to eat or something?" Liv asked quietly so the others wouldn't hear. Mical's bright smile lit up her face.

"Yeah…I'd like that…" she said a bit shyly. It had been a little bit over two years since she enjoyed someone's company. She almost felt giddy with it.

Olivia smiled as well upon seeing Mical's smile. She was getting addicted to it. "Great. Let's get outta here now so we can beat the rush…"

Liv grabbed her leather jacket and patiently helped Mical with hers. Mical fought the urge to hold Liv's hand; instead she shoved her hands into her jeans. _That would be really inappropriate_.

Olivia was debating on whether or not to slip her arm around Mical's waist. Instead she busied herself with finding her keys.

They waited in awkward silence for the elevator.

Meanwhile in the squad room all three detectives were fighting to hid their grins.

"My money says that by weeks end, those two will be running off to Canada to elope…" Munch said throwing down 40 dollar bills.

Fin arched an eye brow and took out his wallet. He added his 40 dollars to the pile. They turned to Elliot who had a scowl on his face.

"Give me a break guys. She's my partner for god sakes!" He dug in his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. John and Fin's eyes widened as they saw how much it was.

"She's worth at least 100…" He threw down the money and smirked as he sat back down at his desk.

_Kathy and Liv will kill me if they find out…_Elliot's smile grew wider. _Well…they won't know if I don't tell…_

* * *

The two women walked in silence down the sidewalk. Again, a few people did double takes while others just stopped and gaped at Mical.

Olivia had to hide her smile at the reactions her friend was getting. _If they really knew how down to earth she was, they'd just look the other way_, Liv thought.

"What's that smile for?" Mical asked as she glanced at Liv.

"Just thinking," was all said. Mical was hoping she'd elaborate more but Olivia seemed in no hurry to share.

"Penny for your thoughts, then?"

Olivia cocked her head to the side and smiled brightly. "Ok. But don't say I didn't warn you. I noticed people tend to trip over themselves when you're walking on the same sidewalk as them…"

Mical's eyes widened in shock. She looked around her and saw that people who were staring at her quickly turn away. She heard Olivia laugh quietly beside her. Mical blushed as she looked back at Olivia.

"Um…" Mical was stunned.

"Don't tell me you've never noticed before…" Olivia asked with a smile on her face. Mical shook her head.

"I'm mostly hiding from the paparazzos." Mical said sincerely. Olivia couldn't believe that Mical had no idea what kind of effect she had on those around her. Herself included.

"Well trust me, you have a certain kind of appeal and people are a bit surprised to see you walking about as if you do this everyday."

Mical blushed a deeper shade of red by the compliment. "Well…I do…I mean…I, I, I walk everyday…" she stammered which made her blush more.

Olivia found it so very cute and couldn't help but reach out and squeeze Mical's hand in quiet support.

The moment their hands touched the air surrounding them seemed to be electrified. Time stopped and the world around them vanished. The moment didn't last long when Olivia was jolted by a passer-by.

Mical reached out and grabbed Olivia's waist to steady her. She quickly let go when she realized how close it brought their lips together.

"Sorry," Mical mumbled. Olivia cleared her throat and nodded silently. "So…where are we going for lunch?" Mical asked a bit awkwardly. Olivia just pointed in the direction and begun to walk with Mical following behind.

_Holy mother of sweet pearl! I almost kissed her!_ Mical thought, her mind racing.

_Oh. My. God! I almost kissed her!_ Olivia thought trying to slow down her speeding pulse. She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

The two were quiet as the entered the local cop hang out. Olivia waved at the owner who smiled warmly at her. He was a retired cop and thought of Olivia as his own.

"Hey Liv! How's it going?" He sauntered up to the pair. He realized that Olivia isn't alone.

"Well, hello there. Are you a friend of Liv's?" His smile was genuine as he spoke. He held his hand out to Mical and she shook it. She got the feeling he adored Olivia.

"Sort of." She smiled crookedly.

"Joey, this is Mical. She's just…uh…doing some research on the unit." Olivia and Mical had agreed a few days ago not to mention who she really was just for safety purposes. This way it gave Mical the chance to observe how everyone reacted to a cop and how Olivia reacted in the outside world.

Joey arched a thick eyebrow. "Investigative reporter?"

"Uh…you could say that." Mical replied a little hesitantly. She wasn't sure how he'd react to that answer. Joey examined her from head to toe. After a moment he nodded and smiled brightly.

"She's ok. A little skinny, but I can fix that up," he said with a glint in his eyes.

"JOEY!" Liv cried out. Joey just laughed as did Mical.

"Don't worry…I'm starved anyways…" Mical said with a laugh. Olivia shook her head in amusement.

Olivia picked a booth that was farther in the back and away from prying eyes. They slid in and sat facing each other. Again the fell into awkward silence.

"So…what do you do on your days off?" Mical asked. She couldn't stand this much quiet.

"Uh…well…mostly sleep in for one. Go out…" Mical nodded.

"So…your dad was a cop too, huh?" Olivia asked not realizing that Mical didn't feel comfortable with private questions. She was about to apologize when Mical answered.

"Yeah. He was. He retired about 15 years ago…" she said quietly. Olivia sensed that it wasn't something she liked to talk about. She knew she should back off but she couldn't help herself.

Before she realized what she was doing, Olivia had opened her mouth and spoke. "You said he was in Sex Crimes…I had seen your interview…" she add quickly when she'd seen Mical's questioning look.

It dawned on Mical that it was the Santo's interview she was referring to. "Oh…yeah, he was staff sergeant."

"You two close?" Again Olivia's mouth was too quick for her brain.

Mical let out a sigh. _Close? Hell, my dad couldn't get away from me fast enough…_Mical thought sadly.

"It's ok. You don't have to answer. I shouldn't have pried…" Olivia said gently. She picked up a menu and scanned over. She looked up surprised as she heard Mical speak quietly.

"Not really. We haven't been for a long time…" Mical glanced out the window with sad eyes. She noticed a father and daughter walking along across the street. He had bent down to point out something to his daughter and she looked on with wide eyes.

There was a pain in her heart as she watched them. She couldn't remember if her father ever did that with her. Her childhood seemed so far away now.

"I'm sorry…" she heard Liv say. Still not looking at her, Mical just shrugged. Olivia was spared from saying anything when Joey arrived with there lunch.

Mical noticed what it was and smiled at Olivia. The detective winked.

"This is my version of a burger and fries." Mical laughed and the sadness that was in her eyes disappeared…for now.

"Let's dig in!" Mical said enthusiastically. Olivia laughed and picked up her burger. They ate in silence, enjoying the quiet company.

All the while, Olivia's mind was racing. She had seen that kind of sadness before in the victims she dealt with every day. It was a sadness of innocence being stolen. Liv wondered what happened to Mical to have put that kind of sadness in such beautiful eyes.

After lunch, the conversation in the diner was forgotten. At least on Mical's part, anyways. She was telling stories of her time on several sitcoms in which her co-stars would pull the wildest pranks on each other.

Some of them were hilarious. But Olivia knew that it was nothing but a ploy to keep her from digging further. She saw it hidden behind Mical's eyes. She'd wait until it was the right time to ask her again. But for now, she just wanted to enjoy walking along side Mical Davidson.

* * *

As the day finally ended, Mical stretched herself out on her sofa. She had been staring aimlessly at the ceiling for almost an hour when her cell phone rang.

Reached across the coffee table to reach for it. Flipping it open she spoke tiredly. "Hello?"

"_Hey. How'd it go?"_

Mical sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. Her agent had pestered her since she started at SVU.

"It's going well, Sara. Thanks for asking. Now I'm going to sleep now…night," she was about to hang up when Sara stopped her.

"_Wait! Wait! Wait! Don't forget, you've got to do your follow up interview with Santos tomorrow…"_

Groaning, she didn't want to deal with him. "Sara…I'm not going to do it. Did you not see what happened on my last interview with him? I thought I was going to hit the guy! Besides, I'm busy tomorrow…"

Sighing on the other end of the line, Sara knew all to well how Mical felt about doing interviews.

"_Sweetie, I'll handle that part. I'll give him strict guide lines to follow…"_

"_Right_. Like that worked the last time. He put me in a very awkward position. No, I'm not doing the damn interview. So forget it!"

"_Mical…he was just doing his job…it's what he does best…"_

"What? Being a jackass? My answer is No. N-O. No. Besides, he's got _'A-Lister'_ Kerry Madison to drool over. I'm not doing it Sara. That's my final answer."

"_Alright, alright…I get it. But you're gonna have to do it one way or the other…" _

"I know. But I'll do it when I'm good and ready. Got it?" Sara gave her a promise not to book anymore interviews without consulting her.

"_Oh…before I forget. Give Jenna a call, will you? She's been asking about you honey…"_

Sighing loudly, Mical thought her evening couldn't get any worse. "Fine. Whatever. Is that it?"

"_Yeah. Goodnight sweetie…"_

"Night Sara. Talk to you soon." She ended the call and tossed her cell onto the coffee table. She sat up and ran a hand through her hair.

_What the hell does Jenna want now?_

Not caring what the answer was, Mical got up gingerly and stalked off to her room and collapsed onto her bed. She fell asleep instantly.

Her mind went from images of Detective Benson and to the kiss that 'almost happened' to her and her sister.

The images of her sister hurt more then anything. She remembered being shoved under the kitchen sink and being told to stay quiet until she came and got her. She remembered the screams that followed. She remembered covering her ears as she heard strange sounds coming from her sister and another voice. She remembered the darkness of the cupboard and the eerie stillness that followed.

Mical jerked awake breathing heavily and sweat falling from her forehead. Shaking her head as she sat up slowly, she tried her best to clear her mind. Inhaling deeply, she tried in vain to calm her nerves.

She glanced over to her bed side table and picked up the picture frame. She gently traced the features of her older sister's face.

"I'm sorry…" she said quietly. She let the tears fall in the darkness of her room, just as she let them fall all those years ago.

* * *


	3. Rise of Phoenix

I don't own anything

The Rise of Phoenix

_8:30 am_

Mical had been standing in her bathroom the last 30 minutes trying to get her hair to co-operate.

_Crap…I really need that hair cut…_she had been running late the moment she woke up. She had been kept up all night with images bouncing from the real life victims to Olivia to her sister. She'd been on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

"Oh what the hell! I'm wearing a damn hat anyways!" Glancing at her watch, she had about 10 minutes to get her things together and grab some breakfast before she headed down to the station.

She was hurrying out of her room and grabbing things she'd need for today when the phone rang.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She glanced at her watch again. _5 minutes…ahhh…let the machine get it…_she skidded into the kitchen and yanked the fridge open. Grabbing milk, a bowl and her cereal, she ate standing up.

She heard the machine click into gear as she poured the milk. She had just taken the first bite when she heard who the voice belonged to.

"_Hey baby! I hope you don't mind me calling – Sara gave me your number. I'm going to be in New York for a few days doing some promotional stuff for 'Gladiators' and I was just wondering if we could…you know…hang__ out…give me a call when you get this. You can reach me at 852- 3232. I hope to hear from you. Good luck on the new show…um…I…I've missed you…bye…"_

Choking on her breakfast, Mical spat out her cereal in the sink and coughed. Grabbing a glass, she filled it up with water and took a gulp and wiped off the rest of the remnants with the back of her hand.

She cautiously approached the answering machine as if it were a live bomb. She stared at the flashing green light._ I'm gonna kill you Sara…_Mical was about to reach for the Erase button but there was a knock on the door.

Olivia smiled as the door opened and stepped inside holding up a coffee and a bagel. "Figured you could use this," she said brightly. Olivia had been to the star's apartment a couple times and she felt welcomed each time.

She noticed Mical was a bit edgy. She reached out and rested a warm hand on Mical's arm. "You ok?" She didn't miss the slight flexing of muscle in Mical's arm – whether it was from her hand or from whatever it was that was bothering her, Liv wasn't sure.

Inhaling deeply, Mical just smiled and winked at Olivia. "Haven't been sleeping well. But I'm better now…" she said as she held up the coffee and bagel. "Ready?" Mical grabbed her jacket, keys and hat. She held open the door for Olivia to follow.

Liv suspected that there was more but wisely kept quiet. She waited as Mical locked up and slipped on her jacket. They fell into an easy stride as they made their way to the elevator. They waited quietly then stepped in when it arrived.

"You think we'll catch a break?" Mical asked as she took a huge bite out of her bagel. She was leaning against the elevator walls. Olivia noticed how Mical gradually transformed into a Special Victims Detective in the course of a week. She also looked exhausted.

Olivia felt bad for judging her the first time they had met. Mical Davidson was true to her word. She stayed out of the detective's way but she kept a close eye on how things were done. She even held her ground during her first of many late night call outs.

Slowly, the squad began to see Mical in a whole new light. Not just some celebrity but as someone that actually cared about what she got involved in. Olivia had even let Mical speak with some of the younger victims.

Mical knew what to say and how to act around the kids. She spoke to them as if she had a lot of experience which made Olivia wonder about what happened to her. She made a mental note to ask.

"I hope so…" she whispered. They had been working on a case that involved incest and a quadruple murder of a family. They had been hitting a brick wall looking for any leads since Tuesday night and it was now Friday. The only survivors left were a teenager and her 8 year old sister.

The little girl, Brenda, formed a close bond with Mical. She wouldn't leave her side as they took Brenda and her sister to the hospital then to the station. Mical had been extremely patient with the girl who would climb up onto Mical's lap during the interviews. Mical would just hold her gently and although Brenda hadn't said a word to any of the detectives, Mical seemed to understand her more then anyone.

"You have a way with her," Olivia said softly. Liv waited knowing Mical wouldn't comment. Mical was saved from saying anything when the doors slid open. They stepped out and Olivia immediately knew something was wrong.

"_Shit…_" Mical chocked out and quickly grabbed Olivia and yanked her back into the elevator. She punched the close button. "Come on…come on…"

"What's wrong?" Olivia's senses were on high alert.

"There's a reporter outside…" Mical hissed. "Damn it!" Olivia watched Mical hit the wall as the doors finally slid closed. This was the first time she had seen Mical lose her cool. Up until now, Mical had always been patient, generous, gentle and kind.

Olivia reached out slowly and placed a soft hand on Mical's shoulder. Mical relaxed visibly. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry…"

"That's ok. I'm not too fond of reporters either…" Liv had moved slowly over to Mical. Olivia placed a warm hand on the back of Mical and slowly rubbed a tense spot. Mical's head fell forward and she closed her eyes.

_Wow…that feels so good…_

The elevator dinged and the door's slid open. They walked back to Mical's apartment quietly.

"I'm going to call the captain and let him know we'll be running a little late." She took out her cell and dialled Cragen. As they entered the apartment, Mical threw her keys on the kitchen table and ripped off her jacket. Olivia periodically glanced over at Mical, keeping a close eye on her while she spoke quietly to the captain.

She was livid. She picked up her phone and punched in her agent's number. Running a hand through her hair, Mical paced as she waited for her agent to pick up.

"Where the hell are you? Pick up the damn phone! SARA!" Mical yelled into the phone. Olivia finished up with her call and wandered over to Mical. She eased her down onto the sofa and gently placed her hands on each of Mical's shoulders as the actress leaned forward.

Olivia began to knead the tense muscles there. Mical inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She was a bit calmer now as she waited for Sara to pick up.

She rubbed her tired eyes and she heard Olivia whisper quietly, "relax…it's gonna be ok…" Olivia continued the gently motion on her shoulders and Mical rolled her head back.

"_Sweetie, what's wrong?"_

"Sara, did you tell anyone where I lived?"

"_Are you out of your mind? I wouldn't risk my life and my career telling anyone about you're personal life…especially where you live. Why? What's going on?"_

"DeLance, you know that bloody pesky gossip reporter, is parked right outside my building with his camera men…"

"_WHAT! What the hell is __he doing there? Shit…sorry…I'll take care of it…"_

"Wait…Olivia's with me…" Her agent knew about the beautiful detective and that the two women had become fast friends.

"_Christ…that's probably why DeLance and company are camped out side. Some nit wit probably called him about the two of you…"_

Mical jerked up at that and accidentally knocked Olivia's hands off of her shoulders. She looked at Olivia sheepishly and quickly apologized. Liv smiled and motioned for Mical to sit back again. Mical did as she was told and Olivia resumed her relaxing message.

"_Don't you worry about a thing__ sweetie; I'll straighten that DeLance out…"_

Sighing, Mical tried to concentrate on what her agent was telling her, but she was having difficulty understanding anything that was being said. Olivia's hands were strong but so gentle on Mical's tense shoulders.

"_I'll find out who leaked the information.__ In the mean time, to avoid all hell breaking lose I want you two to stay there. I'll call you when I find out more…I don't even know who is stupid enough to do that…I'm the only one that knows where you live…"_

"Um…yeah…ok…" said a ramblingly Mical. She heard Olivia's husky laugh behind her and she found that so sexy.

"_You alright, Mical?"_ Sara asked slightly concerned.

"Yeah…fine…" croaked out Mical. She hung up on her agent and closed her eyes at feel of Olivia's hands on her. A soft moan came from Mical.

Olivia was smiling behind Mical. She leaned forward and whispered in Mical's ear. "Feeling better?" She felt Mical shiver as her warm breath gently floated around Mical.

With her eyes still closed, Mical nodded. "What did your agent say?" Olivia manoeuvred Mical so she was leaning back against her. Liv wrapped her arms around Mical's waist and kept her close and rested her chin in between Mical's neck and shoulder.

Inhaling deeply, Mical placed her hands on top of Olivia's. "She's going to take care of it…but we have to stay put until she calls again…" Mical broke off with a sigh as Olivia's fingers ever so gently caressed her stomach.

The two had been dodging this for a while. They both knew something was there but they were afraid of making the first move. All the lunch 'dates', the smiles, the light hand caresses…it was there.

Mical laced her fingers with Olivia's to stop her from doing more. She gave Liv's fingers a loving squeeze before she let go and turned around. Olivia inhaled as she mentally prepared for what was to come.

"You know we've been avoiding this since we met," Mical said quietly. She looked down at their laced fingers. Her heart was pounding she was sure Olivia could hear it.

Olivia's thumb gently caressed Mical's palm. "I know," she whispered softly.

"So…what do we do now?" Mical asked. Although she and Jenna had been together for a long time, Mical had never experienced this kind of feeling before. She was nervous, anxious, excited and a bit scared all at the same time.

Shrugging, Olivia smiled softly at the woman before her. "I don't know either…" Liv trailed off as she watched Mical let out the breath she was holding.

Olivia smiled at her. "Nervous?" Liv moved a little closer as she waited for Mical to reply.

Smiling shyly Mical nodded. "A little bit, yeah." This made Olivia smile. With her other hand, she reached up and brushed away the hair that fell into Mical's eyes. She let her fingers lightly brush over Mical's cheeks as she put her hand down.

"Can I ask why?"

Mical gave her a sad smile. "Good things have a way of crumbling when I'm involved…" she slowly pulled her hand away and Olivia let her go. Mical got up and wondered over to the window but she didn't get too close.

Olivia watched her go. "That's funny…I could have said the same thing about myself." Mical turned to look at Olivia.

"What are you talking about?"

Olivia got up and slowly made her way over to Mical. She slipped her hands around Mical and held her close. Mical did the same and they both stared at each other silently.

Olivia looked away and sighed. "I'm a product of rape…" she said very quietly. Even now, it still stings to say those words out loud. She didn't want to look at the expression she was sure to see on Mical's face.

Mical studied Olivia's profile. She saw the strong lines mixed with the pain of the knowledge that she was an unplanned baby. Mical also understood the strength and courage it must have taken to accept that fact.

"And my mother was an alcoholic…" Mical could see tears forming in Olivia's beautiful eyes. Olivia's hands slide up to play with Mical's necklace.

"Olivia…that wasn't your fault…" Mical said softly. Those words never rang more true then they did now. Olivia closed her eyes and a lone tear slipped out. She swallowed the tears that threatened to fall.

Inhaling, Olivia gave Mical a sad smile. "I tell victims every day the same thing. I always wonder if they really believe that…"

"But Olivia, it's true," Mical said with absolute firmness. She saw Liv smirk and Mical reached up and tenderly cupped her face.

"Olivia, your mother had a choice. She didn't have to have you, but she did. Yeah, she didn't handle it very well afterwards, but she had to care enough about you to have kept you. She must have done something good since you turned out pretty damn amazing…"

Olivia just rolled her eyes and snorted. "_Right_…I'm the poster girl for rapists' offspring."

Mical raised a delicate eyebrow and released Olivia's face. She wrapped her arms around Olivia's shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze. "Think what you will, but I think you're perfectly imperfect…."

Mical flashed that infectious smile that showed off her dimples. Olivia laughed and shook her head. The laughter died and all that was left was that buzzing electricity in the air.

They stood there holding each other looking slightly awkward. They both weren't sure what to do now.

"So…" Mical said a bit awkwardly. Olivia just bit her lip and looked around Mical's apartment. The silence was making them fully aware of how close they were at that moment.

"I…uh…read somewhere that Rachel Mathews thought you were a good kisser…" Olivia said out of the blue.

Mical looked startled then embarrassed. "Oh…um…uh…when did she say that?" Mical asked clumsily.

"I think it was in an interview after you two did that TV movie together, _Lucky in Love_…"

Realization hit Mical. "_Oh_…she said that? Really?" Mical was pleased with herself. She had a playful smile on her face.

Nodding, Olivia swallowed her nervousness. She was flirtatious but never like this. And she seemed to like it.

"Yeah. Well, I wouldn't know if she was telling the truth or not since I've never…um…kissed you…" Liv said breathlessly.

"Well, I can't have you making an opinion based on inconclusive information…" Mical's heart sped up. Her breathing started to get laboured.

"Absolutely. What kind of detective would I be if I didn't investigate further…?" Liv said as she glanced at Mical's lips. She slowly leaned forward, her breathing quickening.

"And we all know that you're good at what you do…" Mical leaned in as well. There lips were inching closer.

"Just doing my job…" Liv whispered. Their lips barely touched and their eyes fluttered shut in anticipation. Their hearts pounding louder and louder.

They were so close….

The ringing of Mical's phone shattered the moment. The two women jumped apart, startled. They were breathing heavy and staring at each other with wide eyes.

The machine clicked on.

"_Mical! You two had better still be in there! Mical! … Pick up the phone! …MICAL!" _Sara sighed loudly. _"Ok, fine! Don't pick up…I know you're upset. Anyways, that jackass DeLance isn't moving. Damn slime ball! You two just stay there. Don't even think about going anywhere! I'll get in touch with our lawyer and get him to move that ugly ass of his! I'm sorry Ms. Benson, but you'll have to stay there. I don't want you to get caught up in this…I'm really sorry about all this…I'll talk to you two later. Ciao!"_

It took a moment for the words to sink in. The two were still looking at each other, slowly moving towards each other.

"I should call the captain and let him know…" Liv whispered. She was pressed closely to Mical who just nodded. She had a dazed look in her eyes as she glanced at Olivia's lips. They leaned forward slowly and their lips were inches apart.

Olivia's eyes fluttered shut as she felt Mical's warm breath on her lips. Mical closed the small gap by lightly pressing her lips against Olivia's. Mical's legs almost buckled as she heard Olivia softly moan.

Olivia's hands went to Mical's waist and held on to keep herself from slipping to the floor. Micals hands went to Liv's waist and she drew her close. Olivia parted her lips over Mical's upper lip and gently kissed her.

Mical's head was spinning. In her line of work, Mical had kissed many women but nothing could have ever compared to kissing Olivia.

Mical sighed and Liv took that as an invitation to continue kissing her. Liv's hands went from Mical's waist to her sides then slipped under her arms to her back. She held Mical a willing captive.

They broke apart for a moment then resumed exploring each other's lips. Olivia was feeling bold as her tongue gently nudged Mical's lips apart. Groaning softly, Mical opened up and she felt a rush of arousal as Liv's tongue slipped passed her lips and lightly brushed her own tongue.

Both women moaned as the rough texture of their tongues danced together. Olivia coxed Mical's tongue into her mouth and she gently sucked on it, drawing a rough moan from Mical.

Mical's hands couldn't keep still as they moved from her waist, to her back then to her shoulders.

The kiss had started out innocent but was now turning hotter by the second. Air was becoming an issue and they reluctantly broke apart. Breathing heavily and clutching each other, both women smiled.

"You're right…" Olivia said breathlessly. She smiled coyly as she rested her forehead against Mical's. "I _am_ good…" They both laughed.

"Yeah, you are…" Mical said sheepishly. Then realization hit them. "Where do we go from here?" Mical asked softly.

Olivia thought for a moment. "One day at a time…"

Nodding, Mical manoeuvred them to the couch. They both flopped down onto it and snuggled as close as they could get. They were quiet as they held each other.

"I really should call the captain…" Olivia said softly. Reaching over the couch, Mical grabbed the phone from its stand and handed it over to Liv. She smiled and kissed the tip of Olivia's nose.

Smiling tenderly, Olivia dialled Cragen's number. She rested her head against Mical's chest as she felt arms warp around her.

"Hi Captain. There's been a change of plans…"

* * *

"Are you pulling my leg?" Olivia was lying on her back on the floor next to Mical. They'd had gotten blankets and laid them on the floor. Mical was sharing stories of her time on a particular sitcom.

"Why on earth would I do that? I swear that's the whole truth." Mical smiled brightly.

"So then what happened next?"

"Well, the poor guy, being nervous as he was, went to look for the toilet. Since he was the new kid, so to speak, one of the camera guys showed him the nearest washroom…"

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to turn out well for him?" Olivia said sceptically. Smiling at her, Mical rolled over and gave Liv a quick kiss on the lips.

"If it makes you feel any better, we were in rehearsals so no one really saw it…" Olivia rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Continue with your story…then we'll continue with that kiss…" Liv gently pushed Mical back onto the floor. Olivia propped herself up on her elbow and tenderly stared at Mical, waiting.

"Ok, ok…what the new kid didn't know was that there were two bathrooms on set. One was fake, the other real…"

"Oh my God…"

"Oh, yeah. It turns out, the camera guy showed him the fake one. So later on that day when were all getting ready to film that evening, the producer is walking around smelling this nasty thing coming from one of the corners on the set…"

"_No…"_

Nodding with a grin on her face, Mical confirmed Olivia's suspicions. "The poor kid took a dump in a toilet that didn't flush…"

Olivia laughed out loud. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had never laughed so hard in her life.

"Can I get a kiss now?" Mical said wistfully. Olivia just laughed harder. Mical stared at the beautiful detective. Smiling did wonderful things to Olivia's face.

"What?" Olivia had watched as Mical just stared at her. She was starting to get self conscious.

"You should do that more…" Mical reached out and gently cupped Liv's cheek.

"Do what?" Olivia had no idea what Mical was talking about.

"Laugh…smile. I know the work you do doesn't give you much reason to smile but it changes you face so much…"

Laughing, a little embarrassed, Olivia rolled her eyes. "You just want me to kiss you…"

"Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. I just thought I'd tell you the truth…" Mical said sincerely. Olivia had never experienced this kind of sincere honesty.

Olivia rested a hand on Mical's chest and looked down at her. She lowered her head slowly and ever so gently, kissed Mical's lips. Mical felt like she was floating as Liv continued to kiss her.

When the kiss ended, Mical's eyes were closed as she licked her lower lip. She tasted Olivia there and sighed. She opened her eyes and noticed Olivia was staring at her with a small smile on her face.

"I liked that kiss…," Mical whispered with a shy smile. Olivia smiled proudly and laughed softly.

Just then, Olivia's stomach rumbled. Both women looked surprised then laughed. They had forgotten the time as Mical lifted an arm and stared at her watch.

"Oh jeez! It's 1:20! I can't believe we've been here for almost 5 hours…" Mical said as she struggled to sit up. She winced as she worked out the kinks in her back.

"You alright?" Olivia noticed that Mical was moving a little bit more stiff then her usual gracefulness. Liv sat up as well and immediately her hands went to Mical's back.

"It's ok…really. It's what you call old age…" Mical said with a laugh. Olivia arched a fine brow.

"_Oh really?_ I'll have you know, I'm older then you, sweetheart."

Mical couldn't believe that. Olivia didn't look older then she was. "Yeah right…"

Olivia nodded. "I'm 38…" Shocked, Mical leaned back and stared disbelievingly.

"No way…you're serious?" Olivia just nodded and shrugged. "_Damn_ woman! You are _fine_!" Olivia's jaw fell open and she playfully tackled Mical back to the ground. The other woman just laughed.

They tickled each other until Mical conceded defeat.

"Ok! Ok! I give up!" Mical stated breathlessly. She had a goofy grin on her face as she held her arms open. Olivia collapsed on top of Mical and laughed.

Mical inhaled Olivia's fruity shampoo and kissed the top of her head. "You hungry?" She felt Olivia nod against her chest. Mical smiled as she ran her hands up and down Liv's back.

"Ok…there's some food in the fridge. You know where the kitchen is…"

Olivia's head snapped up and gave her a look. Mical laughed as she watched Olivia's eyes widen in shock. Liv squinted she slipped her strong hands down the sides of Mical's body.

When she found what she was looking for, Olivia pounced. Before Mical could react, Liv had her shirt up and was now attacking Mical's ticklish spot. The other women shrieked and tried to wiggle her way from underneath Olivia.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I swear I'll never do that again!" Mical squealed. She was out of breath but loving every minute. Olivia finally had pity on Mical and discontinued her torture.

"I'll have you know…I'm a lousy cook…" Olivia got up and pulled Mical up with her. They quickly kissed each other before the headed for the kitchen.

"I'll teach you, then. It's not that hard…," Mical said as she opened her fridge. She took out some ingredients and turned back to Olivia who had taken a spot on the counter.

"Fresh pizza work for you?"

"You can make pizza from scratch?" Olivia said stunned.

"Well, not from scratch…I bought pre-made pizza dough. So all I need to do is get it rolled out…"

"Wow…what other hidden talents are you hiding from me?" Liv said slyly as she reached out and drew Mical in for a kiss. Moaning, Mical broke the kiss off.

"I guess you'll have to wait and see…" Mical picked Liv up from the counter and placed her on the ground. "Come on…help me with lunch…" She took a hold of Liv's hand and gently guided her further into the kitchen.

The two worked side by side as Mical showed Liv a couple of tricks for rolling out pizza dough. Mical then took out a head of lettuce and Liv had the task of making the salad.

"Don't cut your fingers, babe…" Mical said smugly. Olivia took a swat at Mical as she wrapped her arms around Olivia from behind. Mical kissed the back of Liv's neck.

"If you keep that up, I won't have any fingers to hold up my pizza…" Liv moaned. She rolled her head to the side as Mical kissed Liv's neck. Giving Olivia a final squeeze, Mical let her go.

Rubbing her hands together, Mical made a funny face that Liv laughed at. "You start with that and I'll get all the ingredients out for the toppings."

Olivia nodded and continued with her work as Mical rummaged through the fridge. It felt so domestic and so normal for the two to be there. The minutes passed and Olivia and Mical had the pizza done and in the oven and the salad done in no time.

"Want anything to drink? Sorry no alcohol…" Mical stood in front of the open fridge. Liv wandered over and took a look at what was there. Reaching in, Liv grabbed a bottle of ice tea.

"You don't drink?" Olivia asked as she took a sip of her drink. Mical grabbed a bottle of water and motioned for Liv to follow her to the living room. They got comfy on the sofa and Mical flipped on the TV.

Olivia reached out and turned off the television. "Mical?" Liv said softly. Mical inhaled deeply. She played with the label of the water bottle.

"My dad drank a lot when my sis - when stuff happened and I just don't want to repeat his mistakes," Mical said quietly. She looked everywhere but at Olivia. She knew that Olivia didn't miss a thing.

_Sister? She was going to say sister…I didn't know she had one…_Liv thought. _Wonder why she's never mentioned her…_

Olivia wanted to go deeper but it was obvious that Mical was very uncomfortable with it. Liv reached out and placed a comforting hand on her thigh and tenderly squeezed it. Mical glanced at her and she saw understanding coming from her eyes.

Mical gave her a small smile and whispered, "Maybe one day…" Olivia just nodded and reached up and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Olivia switched on the TV and flipped through the channels as they waited for the pizza to finish. Olivia was glad that Mical wasn't one of those people that had to sit and watch everything.

There was about 15 minutes left before the pizza was done. Mical reached over and kissed Olivia deeply. Olivia moaned and licked her lips as they broke apart.

"Mmmm…I'm not complaining but what was that for?" Liv said dreamily. Mical laughed quietly and shrugged.

"This might sound a bit too forward…but I was just…uh…wondering…" Mical stumbled through her sentence. Olivia found it adorable and she reached up and ran a hand through Mical's soft hair.

Sighing, Mical leaned into the hand. "Um…are we...uh…girlfriends now?" Olivia smiled. She felt like a giddy teenager. She leaned forward and gently kissed Mical.

Liv rubbed her nose against Mical's and smiled gently. "Well I guess we are. I just don't go around kissing strange women, you know." Mical laughed and leaned in to kiss Olivia again but the sound of the oven stopped her.

Groaning, Mical moved away. She made a face and Olivia smiled.

"Saved by the buzzer…" Liv said as she played with Mical's hair.

"I better go get that or else…" Mical said dreamily, loving the feel of Olivia's hands in her hair. Grumbling as she got up, Mical made her way to the kitchen. Olivia leaned back against the sofa and sighed happily.

_Alex would have a ball with this! _Liv thought cheerfully. Just then the phone rang.

"Could you get that?" Mical was still in the kitchen.

"Sure." Olivia reached over the sofa and grabbed the phone on the third ring.

"Hello?" Olivia grabbed the remote and lowered the volume of the television.

"_Oh…uh…I think I may have the wrong number. Is Mical there?"_

The voice on the other line was not Mical's agent, Sara. Olivia felt a slight pang of jealousy.

"Uh…yeah, she is. Can I ask whose calling?" The voice had a very slight southern accent.

"_Can you tell her it's __Jenna? Jenna Storm."_

Olivia had to keep herself from throwing the phone across the room. _Jenna Strom? …as in on again, off again Jenna Strom? _Inhaling, Liv went to the kitchen.

"Hey baby, did you want more goat cheese on yours? Or did you want the spinach?" Mical was cutting the pizza so she hadn't seen the look on Olivia's face when she came into the kitchen.

When she didn't get a reply, Mical looked up. "What? What's wrong?" Concern rising in her voice. She went over to Liv to take her in her arms but Olivia just handed her the phone.

"It's for you. Jenna Strom…" Olivia said without any feeling. Mical felt the colour drain from her face. _Oh Christ…damn it, Jenna…_

Swallowing, she took the phone and put it to her ear all the while looking directly at Olivia. She reached out and held onto Liv's hand but she just gently pulled away and went back into the living room.

Closing her eyes Mical went back into the kitchen.

"What?" She didn't bother with pleasantries. She had the most wonderful woman in the world, sitting in her living room. She didn't have time to deal with Jenna.

"_Well hello to you to?"_

"What the _hell_ do you want?" Mical was having a hard time keeping her voice down. All she wanted to do was hang up and grovel her way back to Olivia.

"_Did I interrupt anything?"_ Jenna sounded a bit amused which didn't do anything to calm her bubbling temper.

"YES!" Mical growled into the phone. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to hang up…"

"_Wait! I just wanted to see if you wanted to catch up on old times. I'm in New York for a few days…"_

Mical pinched the bridge of her nose. She was losing patience fast. "No. I'm not interested. Besides, I'm busy."

"_I'm sorry…"_ Jenna sounded hurt. Mical didn't care. The one person that mattered right now was in the living room, alone.

"If that's all, I'm hanging up now." Not waiting for a reply, Mical ended the call. She tossed the phone onto the counter.

_Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT! _Mical paced the kitchen the floor a couple of times to calm herself. Taking a deep breath she moved into the living room.

Olivia was looking out the window. "Looks like there gone. I'd better get going…." She turned around and Mical quickly saw that there were tracks of tears running down Liv's cheeks.

"Liv…" Mical said roughly. She moved forward as Olivia grabbed her jacket. "Please, let me explain…"

Shaking her head, Olivia slipped on her jacket. She just wanted to get the hell out of here before she broke down in front of Mical.

"You don't owe me anything…" Liv whispered and she moved passed Mical for the door. Mical backed up quickly and blocked Liv's exit.

"Get out of the way…" Olivia's voice broke slightly. Mical heard it and felt herself being ripped to pieces.

"Olivia please…it's not like that. _I'm _not like that. You have to believe me…" Mical begging. Olivia didn't want to listen to anything.

"Just get out of my way. _Please_…"

"No. Not until you listen to me…" Mical knew that if Liv said no again, she'd have to let her go. But it was worth a shot.

Olivia closed her tired eyes, turned and went back to the sofa. Mical gave a sigh of relief when she saw Liv go back. _That's only half the battle…_Mical thought.

Mical made her way to the sofa but instead of sitting next to Liv, she knelt down in front of her. She placed her hands next to Olivia's legs and knelt forward as much as she could with out touching her.

"Olivia…" Mical's voice cracked. She didn't realize how much she cared for her until now. She enjoyed every second she spent with Liv. Mical cleared her throat and tried again.

"Olivia, I am not like that. Jenna and I…we've been over and done for almost two and half years. I haven't even spoken to her until today…"

"It doesn't matter…" Liv said tiredly. Olivia thought she finally found something worth giving a shot. But she was wrong yet again.

"But it does! To me…to you! Don't tell me it doesn't, because I know it does." Mical was losing this battle. Olivia shook her head.

"Why doesn't it matter, Olivia? We were kissing not more then five minutes ago. I am not like those other celebrities. I don't sleep around…hell; I haven't had any interest of being with anyone since Jenna broke up with me. Not until now…"

Olivia wanted to believe her but past experiences tended to repeat itself. "It's like you said…good things crumble when we're both involved. Let's not ruin what we have now…"

Mical couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was fighting the urge to just scream and cry at the same time.

"So that's it, huh? Not even going to try and work this out? You're gonna run?" Mical knew that was a cheap shot but she didn't care. She was desperate to make Olivia see that she was worth fighting for.

"I'm going to ignore that. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to leave now…" Olivia sniffed but gave Mical a stony glare.

"You can't leave, remember? Sara needs to get in touch with a lawyer to get bozo outside to leave…"

As if on cue, the phone rang. Mical moaned and buried her face in her hands. _Now what?_

"_Ok you two. I have good news. I got in touch with the lawyer. He's given DeLance and company a call. It was enough to get DeLance outta there. __So you two can now get on with your busy lives. Thank you Detective Benson for being patient with us. Hope you two were behaving yourselves. Ciao!"_

Mical could have strangled Sara.

"I guess the problem is all fixed…" Olivia said quietly. She looked expectantly at Mical.

Mical swallowed. She knew she had no reason to keep Liv here anymore. Nodding, Mical moved back and sat on the coffee table. Olivia got up and stared at Mical for a moment.

Mical rested her forearms on her thighs, head bent. Olivia wanted to reach out but she knew she had to get out of here before she broke down.

"I'm sorry…" Liv said quietly. Mical straightened up but still didn't look up and nodded. Olivia felt herself slowly crumbling and if she didn't get out of here now, she was going to lose it.

"See you Monday morning…" Again, Mical nodded without looking up. Olivia moved to the door and opened it. She turned and gave one last look before she walked out of there. She noticed that Mical had covered her face in her hands as she rested her forearms on her thighs again.

The sight broke her heart but she knew this was the right choice. Avoid eventual heartbreak in the future. She turned and shut the door. Out in the hall way, Olivia finally let the tears fall.

Inside, Mical felt her heart stop when she heard the small click of the door. Finally lifting her head, Mical had tracks of tears running down her face.

She suddenly felt so alone in her apartment. Odd, she always liked it that way – quiet and alone. _Careful what you wish for…_

She got up and pulled the drawer open at desk. She pulled out the sticky note that Jenna had left her when they broke up. Why she still kept it…she wasn't sure.

_It's over. J _

Two words. That's all it took to destroy her already fragile world. Mical worked so hard in the two years since then to build it again only to have it crumble to the ground.

But this time around, it hurt so much more. She moved herself to the sofa and sat there quietly. She kept rubbing her chest to ease the pain that was slowly growing.

As evening came, Mical just continued to sit there, staring at nothing. She didn't have energy to move herself to her room. She heard the phone ringing a few times but she didn't bother to pick up. She didn't even hear the messages left on her machine.

She was just so tired.

* * *

Olivia stumbled into her apartment, barely making it in before she let the tears fall freely. She didn't know she could hurt this much by knowing someone for just a week.

She fell onto the couch and sat there unmoving. _Did I make the right choice?_ Olivia was second guessing herself. She reached for the phone but placed it back in it's base. _Don't call her…don't call her…_

But she had to talk to someone. Olivia picked up the phone and dialled a number she knew by heart.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey…" Olivia's voice cracked as she spoke.

"_Olivia! What's wrong?"_

"I need you to come over…"

"_I'll be right over sweetie…"_

"Thanks Alex," Olivia's tears kept falling.

"_Just hang on honey. I'll be there…"_

Hanging up, Olivia sat in the dark as she quietly wept. Her chest hurt and she ached to feel Mical's arms around her.

_Please Alex…please hurry…_

* * *


	4. Talk to Me

Sorry it took me so long. Things have been insane this last couple of weeks. And work is going nuts. I wanted to get as much of the chapter done before I'm off on a much needed vacation.

Enjoy. Also I'm working on the others little by little.

* * *

Talk to Me

Alex got there in record time. She had the spare key that Liv gave her years ago and she used it to let herself in.

The room was dark but she saw the lone figure sitting on the couch. She heard quiet sniffs and Alex rushed over to the couch. Olivia had her knees tucked under her chin and it broke Alex's heart.

"Liv?" Alex spoke softly. She gently sat next to her friend. Alex rarely saw her friend like this. Olivia was always the tough one, the strong one.

"God…I'm such an idiot…" Olivia's voice cracked as she spoke softly. Immediately, Alex wrapped her arms around her and gently squeezed.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you…"

"Try me."

Olivia sighed. Alex waited patiently as Liv gathered her thoughts. "I kissed a woman…"

Alex felt relief flood her. "Phew! And here I thought it was life threatening…" Alex said teasingly but Olivia didn't laugh.

Liv bit her lip and looked at Alex. "It was Mical Davidson…"

Alex thought she heard wrong and stared blankly at Liv. "Excuse me? Say that again…"

"She's been shadowing me for the past week..."

"And you didn't bother to tell me?" Alex said teasingly then as if she just realized what Olivia had said; Alex's eyes widened. "Wait…you said you kissed…you kissed Mical Davidson!" Seeing Olivia nod; Alex's jaw fell wide open.

"And that's a problem because…?"

Sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose, Olivia tried to explain so her friend would see.

"It was going great…but then…Jenna called…"

"Who's Jenna?"

"Jenna Storm. Her on again – off again girlfriend the apartment…" Just saying her name hurt. It also showered Olivia with jealousy.

"Oh…" Alex said as she put two and two together. "That's odd. I never pegged Mical Davidson as one of _those_ types…" she said calmly as if she were discussing the weather.

"Focus Alex!" Liv said as she got up and paced the room. Alex sat and watched her friend go back and forth.

"Well?" Alex asked quietly.

Spinning on her heel, Olivia stood and looked at her friend. "Well what?"

Rolling her eyes, Alex got up and made her way to her friend. She wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided them back to the sofa. "_Well_, what did Mical have to say?" Alex asked softly.

"You honestly think she'd tell the truth about that? She's a celebrity for crying out loud!" Olivia said as she fell onto the couch.

Alex patiently let Olivia vent. When Liv finally wore herself out, Alex rested a gentle hand on Liv's. "Did you let her explain?"

"No," Olivia growled. Alex smiled and could see how Olivia was as a child. Moving to sit on the coffee table, Alex stared at her friend.

"Then how could you know the full truth…"

"_Because_…" Liv whined.

"Did you _really_ listen to her?" Alex asked gently. Olivia scowled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who's side are you on?" she demanded. She wasn't in the mood for jokes. Alex laughed quietly and leaned forward and held Olivia's hands.

"I'm on your side sweetie."

"Then why am I feeling like I'm being treated like a criminal?" Alex took pity on Liv.

"I'm not interrogating you. Honey, don't you think you over reacted just a tiny bit?"

Olivia shrugged miserably and covered her face. "I don't know…" Alex moved again so she sat next to Liv. She wrapped her arms around the brunette and gave her gentle squeeze.

"It's ok. Why don't you just give Mical and yourself a day or two to calm down? Maybe you can call her later or something?" Alex suggested. Olivia nodded and rubbed her tired face.

"Thanks…" Liv said quietly. Alex smiled and gave Olivia another squeeze.

"That's what I'm here for…" Alex's smile faded as she thought for moment. Olivia could see the wheels turning in her friends head. "Wait a sec…what were you doing in her apartment to begin with?"

Throwing her hands up in frustration, Olivia told Alex what had happened that day. Alex's jaw dropped as Olivia went through the delicious details. Olivia finished and Alex sat with a silly smile on her face.

"What are you smiling for?" Liv asked slightly annoyed.

Alex danced in her seat and sang, _"You like her! You want to kiss her! …"_

Rolling her eyes, Olivia tossed a pillow at her friend. Alex only laughed.

_Oh boy…she's never gonna let me forget this…_

* * *

Mical couldn't sleep at all that night. She kept tossing and turning thinking about Olivia. She decided to go over to the hospital and visit Brenda. Her sister had been taken into custody in the wee hours of the morning, leaving Brenda all alone in the children's ward of the hospital.

When Elliot called to let her know what was happening, Mical volunteered to stay with the little girl. She didn't want to deal with seeing Olivia after what happened the day before. Mical knew she wasn't completely strong enough to see the beautiful detective yet and she knew she'd make a fool out of herself if she were to see Olivia.

Elliot knew something this was wrong but didn't say a thing. So here she was standing in the small gift shop that was in the hospital. Mical held the stuffed bear in her hands and knew that Brenda would like it. She paid for the bear then quietly headed for Brenda's room.

Mical knew from experience that the little girl was soon going to be shuttled from foster home to foster home. And since she was 'damaged goods' no one was going to want her and she'd be the easier target for bullying both from the other children and a few grown ups.

Mical swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she quietly slipped into Brenda's room. The little girl was fast asleep and Mical took the time to take in every little detail. She grew fond of the little girl as the investigation continued. Brenda became attached to her as well.

She placed the teddy bear tenderly by the girl's head and pulled up a chair and made herself comfortable. Mical also thought about her time with SVU. Pretty soon she was going to have to say goodbye to the squad which meant saying goodbye to Brenda…and Olivia.

Mical hoped that they'd be able to close the investigation before she left. If they couldn't, Mical knew she wouldn't be able to handle the guilt. She's lived with too much guilt already and didn't think she'd be able to handle this if it didn't work out.

Inhaling deeply, Mical reached out and gently held Brenda's hand and settled back into her seat. She was so very tired and shut her eyes to catch some sleep. Unbeknownst to her, Brenda's eyes flickered open for a split second then closed again. Her little fingers tightened around Mical's hand as the two slept.

As the hours ticked by, Mical begun to hear whimpering. At first she thought it was herself but realized that it was Brenda. The little girls face was scrunched up as if she was in pain and her head was tossing back and forth.

"_Buffalo_…" she whispered. Shooting up from her chair, Mical gently leaned over the girl and softly called out to her.

"Brenda? Sweetie, can you hear me? It's alright…your safe…Brenda?"

But the little girl just repeated the name. After a few tense minutes, the little girl begun to settle down and she fell back to sleep. Sighing, Mical ran a hand through her hair sat back down. Grabbing her phone she dialled Elliot.

He picked up on the second ring.

"_Stabler."_

"Hey, it's me. Does the name 'Buffalo' mean anything to you?"

"_No. Why?"_

"I think Brenda was having a nightmare about someone or something named 'Buffalo'…"

"_Is she awake?"_

Glancing over at the girl, Mical saw that Brenda had the teddy bear she bought wrapped tightly in her arms. Mical smiled and saw the innocent little girl fast asleep in front of her.

"No. She just fell asleep after tossing and turning. I don't have the heart to wake her just yet…"

"_Don't worry about that. Thanks for the info. I'll __get Munch and Fin to look into this 'Buffalo'. Thanks."_

"Eh…no problem. Is _she_ talking yet?" Mical asked with disdain. Brenda's sister was their primary suspect in the murders of her own family. Something must have really pushed her over the edge to commit a crime like that.

Mical heard Elliot sigh over the phone.

"_Nothing. Not even a peep. Olivia did her best at the 'good cop' thing but Sam isn't having any of it. We're giving it a rest for a bit. See if this rattles Sam's cage. We'll let you know what happens…"_

"Thanks. Appreciate it…"

"_How's the kid?"_ Elliot asked softly.

"Well, aside from the nightmare, she's doing well from what I'm told. She should be released in a day or two. I'm going to look into getting a child psychologist to see Brenda...get her settled with a good home…"

Elliot was quiet on the other line. He knew how close the two had gotten and how much this case was taking a toll on her. The only other person that would get this invested in a case was Olivia. And true to form, Liv and Brenda formed a bond that neither he nor the other detectives had seen before.

Brenda seemed to bring out the maternal side in both women.

"You think I'm over doing it don't you?"

Elliot knew when _not_ to say a thing. After all, he had 4 women to go home to. Inhaling, Elliot chose his words carefully.

"_You do what you feel you need to do to keep Brenda safe…"_ he said slowly.

"I know a cop-out when I hear one…" Mical said teasingly. Elliot had become the closest thing to a brother and she valued his insight.

Elliot quietly laughed on the other line.

"_That's only because I've been taught well…"_

They both laughed. Mical then heard Liv's voice in the background and she felt her body tingle all over.

"_I gotta go. I'll keep you posted…"_

"Thanks…"

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Letting out a breath, Mical got up and wandered over to the window and watched the various activities outside.

It was going to be a long wait…

* * *

Running a hand through her thick hair, Olivia was getting tired of this. She was pacing the small interrogating room while Elliot was keeping a close eye on both her and the suspect. The two women didn't hit it off from the moment they arrested Sam. Not that the detectives ever got on well with those they've interrogated.

"Look Sam, we've got a good idea of what happened that night in your house…" Elliot said calmly. He hoped she'd call his bluff. Sam just snorted as she sized up Olivia.

"If you did, then you wouldn't be talking to me…" Sam said unfeelingly.

Liv stopped and stared just as menacingly at the girl. Something about the girl set off every alarm in Olivia.

_Something's just not right with this…_

Leaning over and placing her hands on the table, Olivia got up close to Sam's face and spoke very low.

"It's your fault that you're here. That your sister is in a hospital bed and that she'll be shuttled from one place to the next…alone."

Smiling but with no emotion at all, Sam leaned forward as well and Elliot braced himself to jump in just in case.

"I'm protecting her…that's more then I can say for you…" Sam said quietly with as much contempt as she could spit out.

Olivia's eyes narrowed as Sam crossed that invisible boundary. Olivia took offence when her integrity for the work she did was insulted or questioned.

Elliot saw Olivia clench and unclench her jaw and saw the muscles in her arms tightened. He knew it was time to step in before Liv got herself into trouble.

Getting up slowly, Elliot spoke quietly as if any sudden movement would ignite this powder keg.

"Sam…does the name 'Buffalo' mean anything to you?" He waited for any kind of reaction from her. He searched and then found it.

_Gotcha!_

Sam's facial features and body betrayed nothing but her eyes…they flashed something. Elliot couldn't put a finger on it but it was there.

Olivia must have seen it too since she pulled back slightly and shifted gears. "Who is it Sam?" Liv asked softly. Again, they were met with silence.

Olivia and Elliot glanced at each other. Years of working together trained them to read each other so well. With a slight nod from Elliot, Olivia knew it was time to take the kiddie gloves off and go for it.

Straightening herself up Olivia walked to one side of the table and leaned in close, invading Sam's personal space.

"Sam, you wanna protect your sister? Well, so do we but we can't do that if you don't tell us who this 'Buffalo' person is…" she spoke softly but firmly.

Again, Sam just snorted and shook her head. Her dead eyes took Olivia by surprise but the girl's words stunned her more.

"She's not my sister…" Sam said quietly. She could see the confusion in Olivia's eyes. "She's my daughter…" the girl whispered. A lone tear fell from Sam's eyes.

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other in silence. _Daughter?_

Seeing the reactions of the detectives, Sam smiled emotionlessly as she explained in detail what happened in her house for years. The more Olivia and Elliot sat and listened, the more they felt sick.

"Where was you mother?" Liv was still in disbelief that this could happen under everyone's noses and still no one did a thing to stop it.

This time, Sam's lip curled into a snarl. "My _mother_ was there. She watched the whole thing…" This floored the detectives. "_She _let him do that to me…" Sam spat. "My brothers would have done the same thing if I hadn't stopped them…"

"How do you know that?" Elliot asked. He was having a difficult time soaking all this in. Olivia was having just as much trouble with it.

"My parents would make them stand in the room while he was…" Sam turned away and swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat. "They were going to do the same thing to my daughter. I wasn't going to let them do that!"

This was the first sign of any kind of raw emotion from the girl. Olivia pulled out a chair and sat next to Sam. She gently took hold of the girls hand and held it.

"Sam…this wasn't your fault. Your father and mother were supposed to protect you…"

"And now I'm protecting my daughter. Go ahead…send me to prison…"

Sighing, Olivia was tired. Elliot stared at his partner and knew that it was more then just the case that was on her mind.

"So…you butchered them in the middle of the night?" Elliot said slowly.

Nodding, Sam closed her eyes. "I saw my dad heading for Brenda's room and I just knew…" Sam's voice broke. She wiped her nose on the back of her shaking hand. "I couldn't let him hurt her…I wasn't going to let them hurt her…"

Sam finally broke down and cried. The two detectives sat quietly. There was only one more question they needed to ask.

Liv looked over at her partner and he nodded. "Sam…sweetie, who's Brenda's father?" She asked softly.

Wiping her tears away, Sam looked disgusted with herself as she answered. "My _father_…"

* * *

"_We got her to tell us what __happened…"_

"That's great, Elliot. So what happens now?" Mical was still at the hospital. Brenda had awoken a short time ago and was being wheeled around for some tests. She was going to wait for the little girl to return.

"_Well…it's up to the DA's office. But from my experience, it doesn't look good for Sam__. She's looking at maybe 25 to life. And that's probably the most generous offer the DA's willing to give…"_

Elliot sounded tired. Everyone involved in the case was pushed beyond their limits. Mical sighed.

"So this is basically a no win situation for everybody…"

"_Yeah. And the kid gets the prize…__ACS will probably want to get started on finding a place for Brenda. Poor kid… "_ Mical felt a sharp stabbing pain shoot through her and she had to stumble over to a wall to regain her balance. The thought of Brenda alone in a strange home was terrifying.

"_You alright over there?"_

Mical had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. She ran a hand over her tired eyes. "God…this nightmare just doesn't stop does it?" She knew what the answer was, but a small part of her wanted it to be different…just once.

"_I'm sorry, but no. Tomorrow is a brand new day for monsters. Hey, we're heading out for a drink. Wanna come?"_

If Mical said yes, she'd have to see Olivia. "I don't know…" she said warily.

"_Come on. We all need a break from this. Once the kid's asleep, come on over to McCloud's. We'll save you a seat. And you'll get to finally meet our former ADA…come on, what do you say?"_

Sighing, Mical gave in. Elliot was definitely a brother when he whined like that. Mical smiled. "Alright, alright! God, you're a pain in the ass. I'll see you guys and a few hours…"

They hung up just as Brenda was brought back. Mical's smile grew brighter. "Hey there…" Brenda smiled but still hadn't spoken a word. One of the nurses that wheeled her in eyed Mical with an appreciative glance.

Mical caught her staring and blushed. The nurse smiled and winked as she left the room just as Olivia was coming in. Liv, ever observant, caught the smile and wink and felt a surge of jealousy run through her.

_Get over yourself, Benson! _Shaking her head, Olivia took a breath to steady her shot nerves. Mical caught sight of the detective and felt her knees weaken.

Awkwardness began to settle between the two women.

"Hey…" was all that was said. They stood face to face a couple of feet away from each other. Mical wanted to reach out and touch her…just a touch was all she wanted. But her hands stayed by her side.

"Elliot called…" Mical said after a few moments. Olivia nodded then looked at Brenda and smiled.

"Hey sweetie. How are you feeling today?" Brenda smiled and held up her teddy. Olivia's eyes widened and she smiled. "He's beautiful!" Brenda smiled proudly and pointed to Mical. She shifted uncomfortably as Olivia turned and looked at her.

"Uh…I saw it down stairs…" Mical winced and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. Olivia placed her hands on her hips and glared at her.

"I thought we'd agreed we wouldn't spoil her?"

"It was cute! I knew she'd like it!" Mical turned to Brenda and asked, "You do like it, don't you?" The little girl laughed and nodded. She squeezed the bear tight to her. Mical faced Liv and crossed her arms over her chest and gave her a smug smile.

Rolling her eyes, Olivia just shook her head. Olivia then laughed quietly as she realized how silly they were being.

"What?"

"We sound like an old married couple…" Mical's eyes widened in surprise then laughed as she realized the same thing. Playing along Mical looked hurt as she placed a hand over her heart.

"I'm old?" Brenda laughed at what she was witnessing. It had been so long since she was able to laugh about anything.

Olivia threw her hands up and walked over to the bed. "I give up!" All three laughed.

The two women stayed with Brenda for a couple of hours until the girl fell asleep. Then they quietly made their way out of the room. Olivia turned around and gave Mical a small smile. Mical stood utterly mesmerized by that smile.

"Uh…some of us are heading over to McCloud's. You…uh…you wanna come?" Olivia asked nervously. She felt like a teenager again asking her crush on a date.

Mical nodded. "Yeah…I'd like that…" Olivia smiled in relief as did Mical. They stood awkwardly for a moment until Olivia motioned for Mical to follow. They walked in silence until they got out to the parking lot.

"I just realized I drove over…" Mical said a bit disappointed. Olivia smiled brightly.

"You're in luck, because I didn't." Mical beamed as she held open her car door open for Olivia. Mical walked around the other side and took a deep calming breath before getting into the drivers side.

_Dear Lord…I'm giddy…_Mical thought as she smiled goofily at Olivia who returned the smile. Mical started the car and they drove off.

* * *

Olivia and Mical were the last to arrive at McCloud's. Mical had met former ADA, Alex Cabot and immediately felt a liking to the woman. She didn't gush or fawn over her, which Mical was visibly relived. "I thought you actors loved that sort of thing," Alex teased.

Mical smiled at her and winked. "Who said I didn't," Mical replied. They both laughed but Olivia didn't find it funny. Although Alex was very much straight, that didn't mean she had to flirt with Mical so openly.

Olivia grabbed a napkin and began twisting and ripping it every time she saw Alex or Mical laugh or get close to be heard over the crowd. Elliot observed Olivia and smiled inwardly. He never saw his partner get so twisted inside about anyone.

The conversation flowed and jumped from topic to topic. And apparently Mical was now the topic of discussion.

"So how did you get into acting?" Munch asked. Olivia saw the relaxed expression fall from Mical's face as she slightly stiffened.

Mical felt all eyes on her but she really didn't care about the others. She didn't want Olivia knowing what kind of coward she was. She avoided turning her head to look at Liv and focused on Munch instead.

"Well…I was a really quiet, shy kid. Someone had suggested I go for some drama classes just to help get me talking to other people…" Mical said slowly. Munch just nodded in understanding.

"But you didn't get a big role until you were…26, right?" Munch asked innocently. Mical nodded uncomfortably.

"Uh…yeah. I did the drama thing off and on. This wasn't my first choice for a career…"

"Really?" This time it was Alex who spoke. Turning over to her, Mical gave her a small smile and nodded. Alex was now completely enthralled. She placed an elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand.

"What was it you wanted to do?" Alex asked. Olivia was torn – she wanted to find out more about Mical but she also wanted to shove Alex away.

Mical shrugged shyly. "I wanted to be like my dad…" she said softly. The other's had started onto another conversation and weren't really paying attention anymore.

"A cop?" Olivia spoke for the first time since they arrived. Mical faced Olivia and swallowed. She nodded slowly as she held Olivia's gaze.

"Yeah…but it didn't work out…" Mical said sadly. Alex looked from Olivia to Mical then back to Liv. She smiled inwardly as Mical and Liv continued to stare at each other.

Alex looked at her watch and saw that it was quite late.

"Ok you guys…I've got to get going. I've got to be in court tomorrow morning. Can one of you be gentlemen enough and drive me home?" Four hands went up and she laughed. She turned to say good bye to Mical and Olivia but it was useless. They were completely oblivious to everything.

Shrugging, Alex left with Captain Cragen and the others decided to call it a night. Olivia and Mical were the only ones left.

The bartender walked over to them and cleared his throat. "Uh…ladies…its closing time…" Mical was the first to snap out of their trance.

She looked around and noticed the place was empty. "Oh…sorry!" Olivia realized they were alone as well and blushed.

"Did you need a ride Liv?" Mical asked gently as she slipped into her jacket.

Nodding, Olivia followed Mical out to the car. The drive to Olivia's was quiet. Mical slowed the car outside Liv's apartment and turned off the ignition. They sat there staring out the window.

"I'm sorry…" They both said at the same time. They laughed softly then looked at each other. Mical was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry…I don't know what to say, but that I'm sorry…"

Olivia shook her head. "I should be the one apologizing. I never gave you a chance to explain…"

Mical just nodded. Again, they grew quiet.

"So…you wanted to be a cop, huh?" Mical nodded avoiding Olivia's gaze. "Did you want to come upstairs?" Again, Mical nodded. They made their way up to Liv's apartment in silence.

Inside Olivia's apartment, Mical stood with her hands in her pockets and looked around.

"It's not much to look at. It's nothing like your place…" Liv said well aware of her modest living space.

Mical finally smiled and looked at her. "It's homey. I like it…" she said shyly as Olivia blushed.

"Have a seat," Liv gestured to the comfy sofa. The two women sat down but left space between them.

"You said you wanted to be a cop like your dad. Did you mean in Special Victims?" Olivia asked as they got comfortable.

Sighing, Mical rubbed her eyes. "You're not going to let it go, are you?" She asked warily. Olivia studied Mical for a moment.

"I'm sorry. We can talk about something else…" She said softly. Shaking her head, Mical just waved her off.

"No, it's ok." Mical took a breath before she answered Liv's question. "And yeah, I wanted to be in that unit…"

"So why didn't you? You have a way with the victims…" Liv stopped as she heard a sharp intake of breath from Mical.

"There were…things that prevented me from going through with it…" Mical said tiredly. To Olivia, Mical sounded so…wounded.

"Mind if I ask?" Olivia asked a bit cautiously. Mical was quiet for a bit and Olivia was willing to drop the subject if that's what Mical wanted.

"My mom killed herself…" Mical said very quietly. Out of all the things she could have said, Olivia wasn't ready for that.

"I'm sorry…" Olivia didn't know what else to say. What _do _you say to something like that?

"It's ok. We knew it was bound to happen…."

"You and your dad?" Olivia asked. Mical nodded. "Why?"

Mical stared straight ahead. "Stuff happened when I was younger…bad things…" she said softly. Olivia could see that this was something that was buried so deep and Mical was having a hard time with it.

Moving so she was crouching in front of Mical, Olivia held Mical's face gently in her hands.

"Sweetheart…we don't have to do this now. Why don't you rest and we'll talk more tomorrow…"

Mical lowered her eyes and nodded. She was so exhausted but that was because she had worked so hard at keeping the truth buried so deep inside her. And the nightmares kept her up all night. She didn't know how long she could keep it up.

Olivia held her hands and led Mical to her room. At first Mical hesitated when she realized where they were going but at Olivia's gently encouragement, Mical stepped into the room. She stood still as Olivia tenderly undressed her and stripped her down to her briefs and shirt. Olivia quickly changed into a shirt and shorts and climbed into bed.

"Come on sweetie…it's alright…" Olivia softly spoke. She held out her hand and Mical took it and Liv pulled her gently into bed. Liv wrapped her arms around Mical and kissed her temple as Mical rested her head on Olivia's chest.

"I've got you sweetheart…you're safe…" Olivia whispered as she tenderly stroked Mical's hair. She held on tight to her, letting Mical know that she was safe. Liv occasionally kissed the top of Mical's head and temple while whispering comforting words.

Gradually, she felt the heaviness of Mical's head and knew she had fallen asleep. Olivia stayed a wake just a little longer watching Mical sleep. What ever demon it was, Olivia was going help Mical beat it.

Slowly, sleep was claiming Olivia a willing captive. With one last loving look at Mical, Olivia let sleep over take her.

The two slept with their arms wrapped around each other, the nightmares held at bay.

* * *


	5. Damage

I know, I am really slow with updates. I do apologize. I'm really trying. If I could have an entire day to myself, I'd get a lot of my chapters done faster. Anyways, I did the best with this one - I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go in this chapter. So hopefully you all like where it went. This will (hopefully) open more doors for these two and their relationship. And maybe more adventrures.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for those not in SVU. This particular case they were investigation was from a CSI episode a few years back. It was with Dakota Fanning...so 'Brenda' was writing with Dakota in mind.

Enjoy!

* * *

Damage

Mical stretched under the soft covers. She couldn't remember sleeping that peacefully before. She blinked in the morning light and inhaled deeply, smiling as Olivia's scent lingered on the sheets.

It was then that Mical realized she wasn't in her own bed. _What the hell?_ Shaking her head Mical threw the covers off and stood. She noticed she was still fully clothed and sighed in relief.

_That would have been awkward_, Mical thought in amusement. Inhaling deeply, she noticed the smell of fresh coffee. Just then, Mical's stomach rumbled causing the young actress to laugh softly. Mical ran her hands through her hair then down her face.

She looked around the room, finally noticing it for the first time. The walls were almost bare if it weren't for the occasional photographs hanging on one side of the room. Smiling to herself, Mical moved closer, studying each one. In a handful of pictures, she recognized the squad. Some were taken indoors while others were taken, in what looked like a park.

_A family of cops,_ Mical thought with a smile. She finally came upon a picture of Olivia and an older woman. Their arms were wrapped around each other tight, smiling brightly at the camera. Mical picked it up and studied it carefully.

"That's my mom."

Startled, Mical whipped around and gripped the frame tightly. Olivia had wandered back into the room without a sound. She held out a cup for Mical as she sipped her tea.

Mical mumbled a thank you and drank the hot liquid. She looked back down and saw the resemblance.

"She's beautiful," Mical said softly as she placed the picture in its place. She turned her head as she heard Olivia sigh deeply. There was a sad look in her eyes that Mical understood perfectly well.

"She died a few years ago. It's just me now," Liv said sadly. They stood there just staring at each other. Mical was the first to look away. Olivia knew that she couldn't push for answers even though every instinct inside her screamed to find out more.

_She's got to do it on her own time...I can't force her._

"Breakfast is ready if you're hungry," Olivia whispered. She was afraid that if she spoke to loud, it would shatter the fragile bubble that surrounded them. Mical nodded, still not looking at Olivia until she felt the older woman slip her hand into hers.

Looking up sharply, Mical was rooted to the spot as she felt a warm jolt run through her fingers and through her arm. Mical forgot how to breath for a moment until she felt Olivia's soft lips lightly graze hers. Mical's other hand gripped her mug as Olivia continued with the soft caress.

All too soon, it was over. Olivia smiled tenderly as she heard Mical whimper quietly as she pulled away. She watched as Mical slowly opened her eyes and licked her lips. Olivia felt heat grow in her belly and elsewhere.

Just then Mical's stomach growled. Startled momentarily, Mical blinked then threw her head back and laughed. Olivia covered her mouth as she laughed along with her.

"There's a mood killer if I ever heard one," Mical said wiping the tears from her eyes as she smiled brightly. It took a moment for Olivia to regain some of her composure.

"That's one way of putting it," Olivia replied with wide smile. She thought it would have been awkward waking up to the beautiful actress, but she found herself staring as Mical slept. Although she couldn't explain it, Olivia was deeply drawn to the other woman.

Gently tugging on her hand, Olivia motioned for Mical to follow. The two casually made their way into the small kitchenette. Blinking a few times in surprise, Mical stared first at Olivia then to the table.

"I actually had an early morning run while you were asleep. I stopped at Wendy's on my way back and picked up breakfast." Olivia blushed in embarrassment. Mical's features softened as she smiled gently.

"Thank you. It looks good." They both sat and ate quietly. Normally this is where the awkwardness would set in, but both women were utterly content and comfortable with the silence between them. They finished eating and quickly cleaned up the table and dishes.

Mical stood back and watched as Olivia dried her hands. Tossing the cloth onto the counter next to the sink, Olivia leaned back and stared back at Mical. They stood like that for endless minutes until Mical felt heat rise to her cheeks.

Clearing her throat, Mical made a move to leave but Olivia stopped her.

"Please don't shut me out," she said softly. She waited patiently as Mical swallowed then slowly turned to face her. Olivia moved so she was now standing between Mical's legs, blocking her getaway. Placing a soft hand on her chest while the other cupped Mical's cheek, Olivia leaned forward close enough so that their lips barely touched.

"I won't ever force you to talk to me. But at some point, I hope you can trust me enough to let me in," she spoke softly as if to sooth Mical's anxiety. The hand that was cupping her cheek moved slowly to Mical's neck and gently messaged the tight muscles there.

Mical closed her eyes as Olivia's words wrapped themselves around her. Her own hand covered Olivia's that was on her chest. Mical rested her forehead on Olivia's shoulder and inhaled deeply. Olivia's hand continued its gentle touch along her back then into her hair.

"I want us to work, Mical. I know you're hurting but I don't know how to heal you. And that _hurts_ me to know that there is nothing that I can do to help you." Mical heard Olivia sniff and lifted her head sharply to stare at Olivia.

She saw tears tracks on Olivia's cheeks. Mical reached out curiously to lightly stroke Olivia's tears with a soothing finger. For as long as Mical could remember, she had never experienced anyone crying _for_ her.

Closing her eyes, Olivia leaned into Mical's soft touch and sighed. What she saw when she opened them again made her want to wrap Mical in her arms. Mical was staring at her with child like wonder.

"Why?" The question was asked so softly that Olivia had to strain to hear. Olivia smiled tenderly, leaned in slowly and placed a light kiss on Mical's lips. She pulled back ever so slightly and smiled brightly as she noticed Mical leaning forward trying to recapture her lips.

Leaning in once more, Olivia placed a series of soft kisses against Mical's lips, much to Mical's disappointment. Mical moaned softly, impatiently wanting more. Laughing softly at the other woman's frustration, Olivia continued to playfully tease her until she felt Mical's hands cup her elbows, gently pulling Olivia into her.

Gently placing both hands on her chest, Olivia pulled back just a fraction. Mical waited, albeit with a touch of childish annoyance. Mical sighed. Olivia placed a loving kiss on Mical's forehead.

"I _do_ trust you," Mical said softly. Olivia nodded and waited patiently for Mical to continue. Mical lowered her gaze and swallowed. "I, I just don't know how – I haven't spoken to...it's been so long. I dunno if I can…," Mical broke off, her voice cracking with the force of emotions that were threatening to spill. She had never been good at conversations like these. She supposed that's why most of her childhood therapists gave up so quickly.

Olivia felt her soul shatter. How many times had she heard those same broken words from victims? _Too many,_ she thought sadly. Ever so slowly, Olivia wrapped her arms around the woman before her. She felt Mical's arms slide around her waist as she rested her head again on Olivia's shoulder.

Olivia ran her hands down Mical's back as she murmured soft words in her hair. She felt Mical tremble and Olivia held on tighter as if trying to shield Mical away from unseen monsters. Soon Olivia felt tears seep into her shirt.

"It's alright sweetheart. You're safe now," Olivia murmured soothingly. She held Mical as she cried never letting her grip falter. She waited patiently until she heard Mical inhale deeply and lifted her head.

Olivia cupped the back of Mical's head with one hand while the other cupped her cheek.

"It's ok if you can't share everything all at once - you don't have to. Take as much time as you need. But I want you to know something. You're _never_ going to do this by yourself anymore. I'll be right there with you, whether you like it or not. I won't leave you."

With that, Olivia leaned in and kissed Mical with everything she had. It was slow kiss. It was the kind of kiss that healed. Olivia gave every ounce of her strength she had in that one kiss. What was meant to be soft and comforting was soon becoming hot and intense.

Olivia tilted her head slightly to one side as her tongue sought admission in Mical's warm mouth. Slowly, Mical opened up and moaned loudly as she felt Olivia slip inside. Olivia found Mical's tongue and teased it until she felt her shiver.

It finally registered to both women that a phone was ringing. Reluctantly braking apart, Olivia sighed in annoyance. She grabbed her cell with one hand and wrapped her free arm around Mical.

"Benson," Olivia said, slightly out of breath. Mical just waited patiently as she listened to Olivia's side of the conversation. Mical watched as Olivia's expression changed instantly.

"Slow down. When did she come?" Olivia waited a beat before she gave Mical a sympathetic look. Mical smiled softly and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Alright. We'll be there. Can you stall her for about 15 minutes?" Pause. "Yeah, we'll get there as fast as we can. Thanks for calling."

Mical didn't like the way Olivia was looking.

"What is it?"

Olivia stared at her with sad eyes and gestured to the phone.

"That was the hospital. ACS is there...," Olivia trailed off knowing that Mical understood. Mical felt a fear like no other as she straightened herself.

"Oh God," she whispered softly. Nodding Olivia grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"I know."

Mical ran into the bathroom to quickly wash up while Olivia grabbed what ever clothing she could find and hurriedly put them on. A few minutes later, they were both running out the door and for the car.

******

"Thanks. I really do owe you big time," Olivia said as they rushed through the sliding doors of the hospital. Snapping her phone shut, Olivia grabbed Mical's hand and they both sprinted down the halls as fast as they could.

"Where is she?!" Mical demanded as Olivia flashed her badge at the young nurse. The anxious looking nurse pointed to Brenda's room.

"I tried to stop her Ms. Davidson. She just barged right in. The second Brenda saw her; she started screaming bloody murder! I swear, I tried to get that woman to leave," the young nurse said, almost in tears.

Sighing, Mical let go of Olivia and placed a comforting hand on the nurse's shoulder. Olivia went straight for the room and pushed open the door.

"I'm sorry. You did your best. Thank you."

"Dora is in there too. She's having a fit!" The nurse squeaked out nervously. Dora was one of the other nurses that took care of Brenda. The elderly woman became a temporary grandmother to the little girl. Brenda was very fond of Dora as well.

Mical followed Olivia into the room. What greeted them almost made them laugh. Dora was no taller then 5 feet, but you would never notice by the way she stood right now. Hands on hips with rosy cheeks, Dora could have been 10 feet tall for all she knew.

"I don't care if yer the bloody Pope! The wee one is goin' no where with the likes of you!" Came the thick Scottish accent. The social worker was about to say something but a firm finger was pointed right under her nose.

"Don't give me any of your flack! I don't want to hear it! My father, God rest his soul," Dora paused a moment to cross herself and look heaven wards before she begun her rant once more, "is turning in his grave at what you're doing! He's cursin your soul!"

The social worker stood at full height as she pursed her lips, preparing for battle.

"Ms. Cullen! I highly doubt he is doing such a thing! I have a responsibility to this child-,"

"Do you even know her name? How can ya have any responsibility over her if you don't even know her name?" Dora's voice had risen a notch making Brenda scoot farther into her bed.

"As I said, I will be taking her to a foster home that is much more suitable for -,"

"OVER ME DEAD BLOODY BODY YOU WILL!" Dora roared.

Olivia and Mical both looked at each other wearily.

"Um…that won't be necessary Dora," Mical said slowly. Both women turned to see their visitors.

"And who might you be?" the ACS woman demanded. Mical gave her a weary smile. But before either woman could reply, Dora beat them to it.

"They are what _you'll_ never be!"

"_Dora_," Mical and Olivia said warningly. Dora huffed at the woman then turned her attention to Brenda.

"I'm sorry love. I didn't mean to frighten you," she said tenderly as she straightened Brenda's sheets. "I'll go and leave ya now, alright wee one? Your mummies are here and they'll take good care of ya," she said with a wink to Olivia and Mical. They shifted uncomfortably on the spot but said nothing.

Clearing her throat, the social worker just looked pointedly at Dora. As Dora left she gave her an evil eye.

"I'd keep an eye on _that_ one, if I was you miss," Dora said as she left the room.

Rolling her eyes, the social worker just sighed loudly. Olivia flashed her badge as Mical made her way to the bed.

"Hey there sweetie. I hope you weren't too scared," Mical said softly. Brenda's eyes were wide but she shook her head as she held on to her teddy bear. Smiling, Mical wrapped an arm around the young girl and Brenda immediately snuggled in the warm embrace.

"Again, I have to ask, _who are you_?" The social worker asked impatiently.

"I'm detective Olivia Benson. This here is Mical Davidson. We've been working this case."

"Well then," the social worker begun opening her portfolio and shuffled a few papers until she found the right one. "Ah, here we go. As far as we can tell, there is no other living relative the child,-"

"Brenda."

"Excuse me?"

"Brenda. Her name is Brenda. I'd suggest you use it, Miss...?" Mical said as she gave the woman a hard glare. Cheeks flaming, the red head just nodded.

"Mona Richards. Right. _Brenda_ has no other living relatives that we no of…"

"What about a guardian?" Olivia asked.

"I was just getting to that," Mona said with a touch of irritation. Olivia just raised an eye brow. "This is where I come in. I can take her to a home; appoint her a legal guardian-,"

"That won't be necessary."

All four heads snapped in the direction of the door. Serena Southerlyn made her way farther into the room, holding up a folded document.

"Now what!" Mona snapped. Serena glared at Mona as she handed over the document.

"Mical Davidson and Detective Olivia Benson have been appointed, by Brenda's biological mother, to be Brenda's legal guardians."

"Since when?" Mona spat as she opened up the document.

"As of this morning. I'm also Brenda's advocate, so any questions you may have in the future, go directly and through me. Are we clear on that?"

Mona's head snapped up. Sighing loudly, she crammed her papers and portfolio in to an over stuffed attaché case.

"_That_ makes my job easier," Mona said standing stiffly. Serena crossed her arms and gave Mona her trademark stare.

"Yes it does." Awkward silence filled the room. Mona knew where she wasn't welcomed and had begun to leave when she stopped suddenly and turned around.

"You do realize that I will need to perform monthly checks on Brenda's home environment."

"Go right ahead," Mical said quietly. She hadn't moved from her spot beside Brenda. She still had a protective arm around the little girl.

Mona's lips had formed a tight line as she realized she wasn't going to win. Nodding, she turned on her heel and left the room.

Everyone sighed in relief when she left.

"That went well," Olivia said with a smirk. She smiled brightly as she opened her arms out to Brenda. The little girl happily climbed into the waiting hug. Mical's heart melted as she watched Olivia and Brenda.

"It's finally good to meet you Ms. Davidson."

Mical shook her head and remembered that they weren't alone.

"What? Oh! Sorry! It's a pleasure to meet you," Mical said as she shook Serena's hand. Olivia looked up and gave Mical a wink. Serena laughed at the red creeping up on Mical's cheeks.

"That's a nice colour on you, by the way," then turning to Brenda, Serena smiled softly as she held out her hand. "Hi Brenda, my name is Serena. I'm an advocate. Do you know what that is?" The little girl shook her head.

"I'm the person that will speak for you so people will listen. I'm the one that makes sure that you're being heard." Reaching out, Serena gently tapped the tip of Brenda's nose, causing the little girl to laugh.

"No matter what happens sweetie, you will always have someone to listen. _Always_." And with that, Serena stood up and shook Mical's then Olivia's hand.

"Thanks so much Serena," Olivia said as Serena shook her hand. Shaking her head, Serena waved it off.

"Don't even think about it. I'm glad you called me. Brenda here is special and deserves the best." Everyone nodded and with a final goodbye, Serena left.

Both women spoke softly to Brenda. They explained what having them as a guardian would mean. Brenda sat wide eyed between the two as she just listened. They spoke for a few more minutes until Dora came back in.

"Well, what do we have here?" Dora said playfully as she placed her hands on her hips. Brenda giggled. Looking at Mical, Dora held up a clipboard. "We need just need ya to sign a few papers and Brenda can go home with you."

"Perfect!" Mical slid off the bed and signed several sheets where Dora indicated. With that done, Dora went over to Brenda and gave her a hug.

"I'm going to miss you, wee one," she said tearfully. Brenda just wrapped her tiny arms around Dora's neck and gently patted her back. Stepping back, Dora brushed away a few tears. Mical and Olivia held out their arms and all four of them snuggled for a group hug.

"You take good care of these two. They can be stubborn mules," Dora said with a wink at Brenda. The little girl grinned and nodded.

"Thank you for everything Dora," Mical said gently. Waving off the praise, Dora gave a final squeeze.

"You just take good care of her." With that, Dora took the clipboard and hurried out of the room.

Mical smiled softly at Brenda and held her hand out.

"Let's go home."

******

Tucked into Olivia's bed, Brenda slept peacefully. They had decided to stay at Olivia's first since Mical's place wasn't exactly 'child proof'. Both women worked out that it may take a few days to get everything ready.

Mical called in a few favours and soon, her huge loft would soon be filled with all the things Brenda would need.

"Thanks for giving up your bed."

Olivia turned and smiled softly. "No problem at all. Look at her, she's so...peaceful," Olivia said quietly. Mical moved behind her and wrapped her arms around Olivia and sighed. They stood like that, beside the bed, just staring at the little girl.

Mical buried her face in Olivia's hair and inhaled deeply. Olivia turned and kissed Mical's cheek then rested her forehead there.

"This is really sudden, I know. There's so much we need to talk about-,"

"Shhh. It's gonna work out, Mica. Trust me, it'll work out."

Mical nodded. They both were quiet once again.

"My parents fought all the time. That's why my dad drank...," Mical whispered softly. Olivia was still. She rested a hand on top of Mical's and tugged gently.

"Let's talk in the living room. I don't want to wake her up," Olivia whispered as she guided Mical to the next room. They left the door slightly opened so they could hear Brenda just in case she needed them, and sat on the sofa.

"Mical?"

"They always screamed at each other." Mical's voice cracked as she spoke. Olivia just waited patiently, resting her head on Mical's shoulder, her hand lovingly caressed Mical's chest. Mical took a moment to find the words and to calm her raging mind.

"They couldn't stand to be near each other sometimes. I did my best to stay out of the way. But they never seemed to stop arguing. At one point, they just stopped fighting, like they didn't care anymore or they just couldn't be bothered," Mical said sadly. She hadn't realized that she was crying until Olivia brushed a tear away.

"Why were they fighting in the first place?" Olivia asked softly. Mical's expression fell, tears flooding her eyes. Olivia looked up when Mical didn't answer right way. Mical looked away, shutting her eyes.

"Mical?"

"Because of me," she whispered brokenly. Olivia just stared helplessly as Mical's tears poured over her.

"It's because of me...it's all my fault."


	6. When the Bough Breaks

Very sorry for the lack of updates on this story. I had big problems with this chapter – serious writer's block.

Brenda – little girl

_Sue__ McGuire__ M.D_ – Think Grey's Anatomy meets Doogie Howser, MD. Mical's character was a Cristina Yang type of person on that show with the same kind of humor.

_Dumber then Dumb_ – Jackass meets Punk'd.

Don't own anything except Brenda and Mical.

* * *

When the Bough Breaks

_It's all my fault…_

Mical turned away from Olivia. She hung her head, buried her face in her hands as she cried. Olivia sat next to her, wrapping her arms around her trembling shoulders.

Olivia ran different scenarios through her head. _Was she hurt? Was she abused?_ _Who could have hurt her? _Every thought that went through her mind only served to make her angrier at whoever hurt Mical.

Olivia did her best to comfort the woman in her arms. Mical always held everyone at arms lengths, not letting anyone get too close; Olivia noticed.

"Sweetheart, it wasn't your fault. You did nothing wrong."

Mical's head snapped up, her face twisted in anguish.

"That's the point! I did _nothing_ to help her!" Mical cried out. Her voice was so full of pain that even Olivia had to look away.

"I didn't save her," Mical mumbled over and over as she begun to rock back and forth, lost in her nightmare.

Olivia was confused and curious at the same time. Olivia gathered Mical in her arms but kept her arms loose.

"Who, honey? Who couldn't you save?" Olivia placed a soft kiss on Mical's head. Her face twisted as if she were fighting to keep everything in, the tears falling.

"My sister." The words were ripped away from Mical, the self loathing she had felt all those years exposed. Olivia held on, letting Mical cry.

In her line of work she saw people at their lowest points in their lives and she was rarely surprised anymore and yet at this very moment, Olivia truly wished she could make everything better for the woman in her arms. Olivia felt powerless.

Olivia could only imagine what it must be like for Mical to carry around that kind of guilt especially as a child. _No wonder she closes herself off to the rest of the world. _

"You're safe now. It's alright, I'm here..." Olivia continued to whisper over and over until she felt Mical's tremor's subside. She felt Mical take a deep breath and sit back up. Her eyes were red and puffy but Olivia still thought Mical was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Wiping away the remaining tears, Mical cleared her throat but kept her head down. She really didn't want to see the look on Olivia's face. She knew that Olivia would want to talk to her but she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to handle it.

Olivia surprised her by sliding of the couch and crouching down in front of her. Taking a hold over her chin, Olivia lifted Mical's head slightly so she could look directly at her.

"This was never your fault. I know you won't believe me, but in time you will. I hope you can trust me enough to let me in and help you," Olivia said softly. She cupped Mical's cheek and kissed her forehead. Mical felt some of the tension fall away and sighed heavily.

"Come on. Let's get you to bed. We can talk more another time, Okay?" Nodding, Mical felt herself being gently guided back into the room. Mical didn't realize just how tired she was until she saw Olivia's bed.

They stood to the side for a moment, watching the little girl sleep. Slowly, Olivia pulled back the covers and climbed in, not wanting to wake the girl from her slumber. Mical did the same on the other side and looked over at Olivia who was staring at her. They smiled tenderly at each other before Olivia bent down and kissed the little girls forehead.

"Sweet dreams honey," she whispered softly. The little girl smiled slightly and cuddled closer to Olivia's warm body making both woman smile. Mical kissed the little girl's head softly then settled in beside her. Olivia reached over clasped Mical's hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. The quiet surrounded them and soon the two were fast asleep.

* * *

Rolling over Mical threw her arm over Olivia's waist and sighed contentedly. It had been so long since Mical had a good sleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked back the sleep in her eyes. She was surprised to see a pair of blue eyes peering down at her.

"Brenda," she said as she smiled softly at the little girl. In reply, Brenda snuggled closer to Mical's warm frame. Wrapping her arms around Brenda, they both glanced quietly at the woman that lay with them.

Olivia lay sleeping, completely oblivious to the fact that she was being quietly examined by them. Mical stretched out and rested her head on her hand and watched with a small smile as the little blonde studied Olivia intently. Brenda just sat there, watching every small movement and finally she turned around and smiled at Mical, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"What are you up to?" Mical whispered. She watched as Brenda took hold of one of her bear's stuffed paws and gently ran it along the bridge of Olivia's nose. Olivia wrinkled her nose but continued to sleep. Giggling, Brenda had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly. Glancing at Olivia, Mical saw a ghost of a smile on the beautiful detective's lips and she couldn't help but chuckle.

Brenda reached out and repeated the action again. This won her a loud playful sigh but Olivia still hadn't woken up. Biting her lower lip, Brenda reached out finger and very slowly, tapped the end of Olivia's nose.

Olivia just wrinkled her nose and playfully snored as loud as she could. Brenda giggled loudly but quickly covered her mouth. Olivia opened one eye then closed it quickly but she smiled wildly. Mica just laid there with a huge smile on her face as she watched the interaction between the two. When Brenda would have reached out again, Olivia opened both eyes and smiled brightly.

"Gotcha!"

Olivia playfully reached out and wrapped her arms around Brenda's little body and pulled her in. Brenda squealed in delight and hugged her teddy bear tightly. Mica threw her head back and laughed. Olivia glanced at Mical and was amazed at how a smile could change someone so much. Brenda glanced at Mical as well but with a gleam in her eye. And in a flash, Brenda was now tickling Mical.

Olivia joined in a few seconds later laughing freely as she watched Mical scrambled to get away from two pairs of hands. Quickly dashing out of bed, Michal grabbed her pillow and used it as a shield to protect herself.

All three laughed as they continued the assault on Mical.

"No fair! Two against one!" Mica huffed with a smile on her face. Olivia reached out and grabbed her from around the waist and dragged her back onto the bed. Mical let out a yelp as she toppled back down unexpectedly, momentarily stunned. Taking full advantage of the position, Olivia scrambled on top of Mica and gently held her arms by her head just staring lovingly down at the other woman beneath her.

Brenda had finally lost interest in the tickle fest and decided that now was a good time to explore Olivia's apartment. She slipped off the bed and held on to her stuffed bear as she padded to the door.

"Brenda!" Squeaked Mical as she watched where the girl was wondering off to. The little blonde just turned back curiously and tilted her head to the side and thought for a moment. After what felt like an eternity, Brenda just shrugged her tiny shoulders and continued to wonder out the room.

Sighing dramatically, Mical gave Olivia weary look. "So much for undying loyalty," Mica said dryly. Olivia burst out laughing and after a moment her laughter faded. They stayed that way even when they heard the television being turned on. Mical looked everywhere but at Olivia, feeling her cheeks start to burn. Olivia sighed softly causing Mical to dart a look up at the woman above her.

"Awkward?" Olivia asked quietly. Mical nodded slowly and she could see the disappointment in Olivia's eyes. Nodding, Olivia released Mica's wrists and pushed herself off. Now sitting beside her, Olivia reached out and placed a gentle hand on Mica's chest and spoke softly.

"Tell me about your sister." Mical didn't know how to respond. This was more then she had given to anyone. Before she could tell Olivia, Brenda padded back into the room, holding her bear close to her chest.

"Livia?"

Both women turned at the sound of the little girl's voice. This was the first time Brenda had ever spoken since they met. Mical was now sitting up as Olivia made her way to the edge of the bed. Kneeling in front of the child, Olivia smiled tenderly and brushed away the hair that fell into the girls eyes.

"Yes baby love?" Brenda seemed to like that nickname because her smile grew wide.

"Can I have some cereal please?" Brenda asked politely. Olivia's smile grew brighter. Scooping up the little girl in her arms, Olivia gave her a loving squeeze before answering.

"Of course you can, baby love. Let's go see what I have for you," Olivia said lovingly as she placed a tender kiss on the girl's forehead. Without even a backwards glance, Olivia and Brenda headed for the small kitchenette leaving Mical alone.

Running a hand through her hair, Mical stood and straightened out the bed before heading for the kitchen. Telling Olivia about her sister, about what happened would be hard, excruciating and terrifying.

_But was it worth the risk?_ Mical thought as she trudged into the kitchen watching Olivia help Brenda with her breakfast. Mica had spent the majority of her life hiding and running from any kind of confrontation and yet, here she was contemplating telling Olivia every horrid detail.

Sighing heavily and painting a big smile on her face as she got closer, she made a decision. She hoped she could live with it later.

Later that day, Brenda had begun to get a little antsy being cooped up inside. Olivia decided that a run through the park should do the trick. The little girl jumped up and down with delight. As they approached the small park, they noticed a group of children.

Brenda was hesitant at first but after a little coaxing from both women, Brenda was enjoying herself and participated in some of the games the others were playing. Olivia and Mical laughed as they watched the little blonde zip by them a few times before finally being caught by another little girl.

"I'm sorry Liv. I can't," Mical said softly with a shake of her head. She heard Olivia sigh and glanced at her.

"I understand. But I will be here regardless," Olivia said softly. Mical found herself staring into the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.

Smiling tightly, Mical nodded and turned her eyes back on Brenda. Olivia felt her heart sink. It wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but she wasn't going to push for it either. If that's how Mical wanted it, then Olivia had to respect that. But it still stung.

Mical knew that she had disappointed Olivia and it hurt. She wanted to tell Olivia badly but everything was happening all at once and Mical could barely find her footing. Mical wasn't even sure what was going on between Olivia and herself anyways – whatever this was, it was still too new.

They were quiet as the watched Brenda laughing and running around. Olivia couldn't help but smile, she was about to say something to Mical when she noticed the woman's expression and it broke her heart.

Mical couldn't even remember ever being that innocent as Brenda. She couldn't even remember her life _before_ that terrible afternoon. She felt a slight pain in her chest and winced. It was getting a little difficult to breath.

Olivia reached out; worry etched her face, and squeezed Mical's hand. As if that broke through whatever haze she was in, Mical shook her head to clear away the pain and glanced at Olivia and smiled sadly.

"Mical, what's wro-" Olivia didn't even get to finish when Brenda came bouncing over. Her blonde hair was a mess and a smudge of dirt was on the side of her cheek but she didn't notice at all. Her smile was brighter then ever and both women forgot about what ever they were feeling for the moment and were completely mesmerized by this little girl.

"Can I have some ice-cream please?" Brenda asked as she hopped on one foot to the other, barely able to contain her energy. Both women laughed at the sight. Mical just nodded as she continued to laugh as they watched Brenda bouncing around.

"Looks like we're stopping for ice-cream," Mical said with a smile on her face. Olivia knew that Mical was, again, hiding. She saw something happen a few moments ago and Olivia was betting it had to do with her sister.

Giving Mical a knowing glance, Olivia stood and held her hands out to both Mical and Brenda. All three made their way to the closest ice cream parlour and enjoyed the endless chatter coming from the little girl. Olivia kept her eye on Mical in between conversations with Brenda.

Every once in awhile a parent or child would stop by their table and ask for autographs and pictures with Mical. The star would smile warmly and pose with the kids and signed whatever was handed to her. Brenda was at first, curious, but got used to the interruptions.

"How come they wanna have a picture with you?" Brenda asked in between mouth full's of rocky road ice-cream. Olivia shook her head but had a ghost of a smile on her face as she wiped the mess around Brenda's mouth. Mical grinned and Olivia felt her stomach do summersaults.

"Well," Mical started slowly. "Sometimes the work that I do requires me to sign lots of things for people."

"Why?" Brenda asked, clearly not satisfied with the answer. Olivia had to cover her mouth from laughing out loud at how frank the little girl was. Mical could feel her grin turn into a full blown smile.

"Umm…well, it makes people smile. I like making people smile," Mica said with a wink. Brenda cocked her head to the side as if to take that answer in.

"Why?" Olivia turned her head as she desperately tried to hide her laughter. Mica had to keep from laughing along. _This kid is priceless,_ Mical thought.

"Sweetie, do you know what kind of work I do?" Mical asked very gently. The look that Brenda gave Mical caused Olivia to laugh out loud but quickly covered her mouth and apologized profusely. Her shoulders shook with laughter.

"Of _course_ I do. You're a police officer like 'Livia," the child said innocently. Olivia was now biting her lower lip as she pinched the bridge of her nose. _This little girl is too much_, Olivia thought.

Mical smiled gently. "Well, sorta. I'm just pretending to be a cop, though."

Brenda scrunched up her nose the scratched her head, confused.

"Why?" Olivia buried her face in her hands as the table slightly shook with her laughter. It was clear that Olivia was in no position to help. Clearing her throat, Mical scratched her chin.

"Um…well, I'm actually an actress. I pretend to be different people on TV," Mical said gently. Brenda blinked, too stunned to speak.

"Oh," was all the little girl could say. Olivia was wiping tears from her eyes with one hand while the other was rubbing her stomach.

"Baby Love, I think it's time we cleaned you up, ok?" Nodding, Brenda hopped off the seat and waited for Olivia to slide out then she held her sticky little hand out. Olivia smiled and led her to the bath room.

Once they were out of sight, Mical let loose the laughter that she had fought so hard to hold back. Grabbing a few napkins, Mical covered her eyes as she felt tears slide from them.

She was able to gain some control by the time Olivia and Brenda returned. By now Brenda had finally ran out of steam and her eyelids were slowly closing.

"I'll take her," Mical offered softly. Bending slightly, Mical wrapped an arm around Brenda's back and slide the other under her legs and easily lifted the girl off the ground. Olivia grabbed Brenda's bear and jacket and followed them out.

Mical looked down and noticed the girl was well past sleeping, her full weight bearing down on Mica's arms. Olivia stopped them for a moment to wipe the hair from Brenda's face and placed her bear on the girl's chest.

"Thanks," Mical said softly. Nodding, Olivia smiled lovingly as she covered Brenda with her jacket.

"Come, let's go before it gets too cool," Olivia said as she navigated them through New York pedestrian traffic.

* * *

They reached Olivia's apartment and quietly slipped inside. Olivia pulled the covers down then helped Mical carefully undress Brenda and slipped on the girls PJ's. Olivia leaned down and placed a light kiss on the girls forehead as did Mical then quietly slipped out of the room.

They made their way to the couch and fell tiredly onto it. They didn't say anything for a moment, both wanting to give the other space. It soon became awkward being that quiet and Mical hated being this quiet for too long.

"Liv-"

"So when do you start shooting?" Olivia asked quickly, crushing any discussion about this morning. It still stung, not being trusted. And Olivia didn't care if she was being childish. She'll deal with that later, but for right now, she just wanted to be a little bit childish.

Startled by Olivia's blunt tone, Mical blinked in surprise. It took a moment before she could answer without sounding like a fool.

"Um, I think in a couple of weeks. We have rehersal next week," Mical said softly. Olivia nodded and continued to stare at nothing.

Mical sat silently not knowing what else to say. She bit her lip nervously. They sat that way for almost 10 minutes.

"Mitchie"

Olivia glanced at Mical. She was staring down at her hands and biting her lip. Mical's hands were shaking slightly.

"What?"

"Mitchie. My sister's name was Mitchie." Olivia sat silently not daring to move. She waited patiently for more.

"Mitchie, huh?" Olivia said softly.

Nodding, Mical had a sad smile on her face.

"Yeah," Mical's voice cracked slightly as she wiped at her nose. "My dad had a thing for boy names," she said with a chuckle.

It had been years since Mical said her sister's name out loud. She forgot what it sounded like which brought tears to her eyes. She wiped them away and cleared her throat.

"He wanted boys?"

Shrugging, Mical just played with the hem of her shirt.

"I was, I mean, I was supposed to be a boy. But my sister was gonna be a Mitchie. Boy or girl, dad was gonna name the baby Mitchie."

Olivia smiled gently, her own tears falling down her cheeks.

"And your mom?"

A ghost of a smile crossed Mical's face.

"She was just delirious with getting pregnant for the first time. She didn't care what dad named her," Mical replied quietly. She felt more tears falling but was too tired to wipe them away.

"They weren't planning for you?" Olivia asked softly.

Mical shrugged.

"Dunno. Not really, I guess. I was an unexpected mistake." Olivia heard the disappointment in Mical's voice. She reached out and placed a gentle hand over Mica's.

Mical stared at their hands until her vision blurred and she quickly turned away.

"Were you two close?" Olivia asked. Mical had come this far already, on her own and she didn't want Mical to stop talking. Nodding silently, Mical wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"Yeah, we were. Considering the age gap," Mical said as she tried to clear her throat again.

"Oh? How much of a difference are we talking about?"

"7 years."

"Wow that must have been hard," Olivia said genuinely amazed. She remembered her partner's kids and how much of an age difference they had to each other.

Giving Olivia a small smile, Mical shook her head.

"Not really, actually. Mitchie wasn't like that," Mical said with grin.

"Really? Everytime I visit Elliot's place, it's both Dickie and Kathleen at each other's throats or Maureen and Kathleen at each other. And _they_ don't have much of an age gap between them."

Mical chuckled at that despite the painful memories she was dredging up. Inhaling deeply, Mical smiled and shrugged.

"I guess my sister really liked me," she said shyly. She tilted her head to the side when she heard Olivia chuckle.

"What was she like?" Olivia asked quietly. She saw Mical struggle for words, fighting off the tears that were ready to fall.

"She…we…I," Mical stumbled over her words. Her breathing was becoming uneven as she shut her eyes tight, as if fighting off the pain.

"Sorry. I can't…I can't…I'm sorry," Mical mumbled brokenly. Olivia quickly responded by wrapping her arms around Mical and whispering soothing words.

"You're alright. You did good," Olivia whispered over and over until she felt the tremors subside. Mical buried her face into the crook of Olivia's neck and breathed in her scent, as if that would calm her nerves. They pulled back and Olivia cupped Mical's face. She leaned in and softly kissed the actress on the lips.

"No wonder victims can tell you anything," Mical said quietly. Olivia smiled brightly as she brushed her thumb over Mical's lower lip.

"We have our secret talents," Olivia said with a grin and a wink. Mical laughed softly as she blushed. Dropping her hands, Olivia laced her fingers with Mical's. The sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

"So, you got any juicy secrets about _Sue McGuire__ M.D._ I loved that show by the way and you were hilarious," Olivia asked eagerly. The Monday night dramady was an instant hit when it premiered and lasted 5 seasons. Set in a fictional L.A hospital, Mical was the only original character left by the time the show was yanked from the network.

Smiling at how easy it was to switch gears with Olivia, Mical shrugged. She knew that Olivia was trying to ease Mical's nerves with a little shop talk. Mical couldn't be more grateful.

"What do you wanna know?"

Giving Mical her trademark smirk, Olivia leaned forward slightly and with sparkling eyes, whispered, "Everything."

Laughing, Mical nodded and proceed to spill all the dirty secrets of the show. Olivia laughed at some parts and went wide eyed for others. They spent hours just talking about Mical's comical timing and career.

"Other then this new show, you think you'll ever do another drama?" Olivia asked, genuinely curious.

Mical thought about that for a moment.

"I don't know. Maybe, if the part is really good."

"How about doing a movie?"

"I already have one of those under my belt," Mical answered with a smirk. Olivia playfully punched Mical's arm.

"You Know wait I mean!"

Grinning, Mical nodded.

"I know. But no, I wouldn't want to do movies," Mical said with a shrug.

"Why not? You'd be amazing." Mical blushed at such praise.

"Being a movie star is a completely different monster altogether. And I just don't think I can sacrifice my personal life for that kind of fame."

Olivia nodded in acknowledgement.

"You have a point."

"I know," Mical said with a smirk.

Olivia rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Are you hungry? We can order in?" Olivia asked as she picked up a take out menu.

"Sure. What are the choices?" Olivia handed over the piles of menus. They took a few minutes skimming through all of them until they found one they both liked.

"You call, I pay," Mical said as she took out her wallet.

"You sure?' Mical nodded. "In that case I'm having everything," Olivia said cheekily as she dialled the restaurant. Mical stuck her tongue out and Olivia laughed.

After placing their orders, the two women settled more comfortably into the couch and flipped through the TV shows. They settled on a medical drama and waited for their dinner to arrive. 20 minutes later, they were stuffing themselves with Chinese food while critiquing the show.

"I would have cast Dillon Wright for that part rather then Steve Blunt. The guy looks so out of place," Olivia said through a mouth full of Won Ton noodles.

Nodding, Mical wiped off some sauce from her lips.

"Maybe not Dillon. His brother, Sam, would have been a better fit – he's got that _'doctor'_ look about him."

Olivia made a face.

"Let's agree to disagree for the moment." Mical chuckled. They finished up their late diner and quickly disposed of the cartons and settled down once more to finish up the rest of the drama. When the show was over, Olivia picked up the remote and begun to flip through the channels once again.

"Oh! Go back for a sec!" Mical said eagerly. Olivia flipped back a few channels before finding the right one.

"I love this show!" Olivia glanced over and saw Mical's eyes light up. Then turning her gaze back to the show, Olivia groaned out loud.

"_You_ like _this_?"

_Dumber then Dumb_ was the latest reality TV show hosted and produced by Trent Willows, young Hollywood's Reality TV guru. Olivia just shook her head in disbelief.

"How can you stand this?"

_Dumber then Dumb_ followed unsuspecting celebrities around only to corner them by pulling the most outrageous pranks on them. Some episodes had them doing the most dangerous and brainless stunts all in the name of money.

"How can you _not_ find all this pathetically amusing?" Mical said laughing at one celebs downfall. Olivia just gave Mical an exasperated look.

"You wouldn't find it very amusing if it happened to you," Olivia countered. Mical finally glanced at Olivia and sighed.

"Alright, alright, we can watch something else," Mical said unhappily.

"Thank you," Olivia replied with a smirk.

The rest of the evening the two flipped through various shows, Olivia always asking questions about them.

At 11:45 pm, Mical tried to hide a yawn. Olivia smiled softly and turned off the TV. Standing up and pulling Mical along with her, they made their way to the bedroom. They carefully slipped underneath the covers and wrapped their arms around Brenda.

With one last yawn, Mical lifted her head and smiled sleepily at Olivia who returned the smile.

Soon were both fast asleep.


	7. ACTION!

Donavan Kane (He's the 'Dick Wolfe' of the show)

Mical Davidson (Briana Moore = Olivia Benson)

Benjamin Martinez (Eric Gomez = Elliot Stabler)

Sam Knight (Capt. Henry Doyle = Capt. Cragen)

Dennis Coffee (Richard Hayes = John Munch)

Paul Chase (Jon Peters = Fin Tutuola)

Anthony Cook (Andrew Myers = Brian Cassidy)

Kerry Madison (ADA Sara Potts = Kim Greylek)

* * *

ACTION!

"CUT!"

Everyone in the studio groaned in frustration. Mical rolled her head from side to side, trying to work the kinks out of her neck. She had been standing in the same spot for almost 40 minutes. She, like the rest of the cast and crew, were getting impatient.

It had been almost 3 weeks since they started filming. 3 weeks since Mical brought home Brenda.

It had been hectic since then. Mical and Olivia both agreed that their little girl needed a lot of hands on TLC. Olivia had taken the first week off work to help with Brenda then both women had interviewed nanny after nanny until they found the right one.

The live in nanny was a Godsend. Brenda was a little sceptical at first but slowly warmed up to the young woman. Amber Rosedale was in her mid 20's, fresh out of college and in need of a job which Mical was happily to supply.

Olivia checked and triple checked Amber's background making sure the girl they hired was perfect for Brenda.

Next on the list was finding a child psychiatrist. Enter Dr. Hendrix. Olivia had contacted her friend to help Brenda. The little girl took to the doctor like she had with Olivia and Mical which was a good sign. Easy as pie.

Now if only getting Kerry Madison to remember her lines were that easy…

Kerry Madison had only 3 lines in this scene and she missed every single one of them. The newest director, Martin Robbins, rubbed his forehead and cleared his throat.

"Kerry, you're mark was over there. The line was, _'I can't win cases that I have to fix'_. Think you can handle that again?" Martin asked slightly annoyed. Kerry just flipped her blonde hair to the side.

"Yeah, that's what they pay me for," she said in her dull-witted attitude. Martin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he answered.

"Then _bloody well_ get on with it," he said threw gritted teeth. Mical and Ben just smirked at each other, knowingly. Then nodding to a crew man, he sat back down behind the camera and slipped on his headphones.

"MARKER!"

"Scene 15. Take 7."

"Here we go…_ACTION_!"

As the actors recited their lines, Kerry walked into the scene, hit her mark. She opened her mouth to say the line but nothing came out. She stared blankly for a moment before she heard a chorus of moans behind her.

"Sorry! Damn it. I blanked out," she threw her hands up in frustration.

"For god sakes woman! How much are they bloody paying you?" Martin demanded as he ripped off his headset and stormed out from behind the camera. His thick British accent coming through, he jabbed a finger in the blonde's face.

Eyes wide, Kerry gasped.

"Not enough to go through this crap!" She yelled back.

Martin just sneered as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Well then, if that's how you like _love_, then I suggest you go find yourself a new form of employment!"

He turned to the group and hollered, "Ok everyone! Go take a break…and while you're at it, a stiff drink."

The crowd around them laughed a little as they dispersed into different directions. Martin just shook his head at Kerry and walked away.

Kerry followed Martin sputtering and whining as she went.

"Do you know who I am! I'll have your head on a freakin platter!" Everyone heard her say.

"I don't give a bullock about who the hell you are! I sussed you out long before I signed on to do this!" Martin continued to disappear down the hallway with Kerry right behind him. There was a collective sigh when the pair finally left.

"Who's up for drinks? I'm buyin," Sam said playfully. Everyone laughed as they made their way to the area where their dressing rooms were.

"Sorry man, I'm gonna catch some sleep before we have to go through this all over again," Mical said with a wink. She turned the corner and opened the door to her dressing room. She froze her hand on the door knob and eyes wide.

There in her dressing room was Olivia, Brenda and Amber. They stood there like a deer caught in head lights.

"What are you guys doing in here?" Mical asked in complete surprise. She swung the door shut and walked farther into the room. Brenda hopped down from the small sofa and into the waiting arms of Mical.

Mica bent down and easily caught the little girl and swung her up in the air. Brenda squealed with delight. Amber and Olivia both laughed at the sound.

"Thought you could use a little sprucing up," Olivia said slowly. She watched as Mica looked around for the first time.

"Yeah, figured you could use a little help in that department," Amber said playfully. It had become a running joke between the three women. Mical was lousy at decorating and it showed in the way she 'decorated' her loft.

Mica just rolled her eyes with a smile.

"But how? I mean, why?" It was clear that she was still in shock. Amber held out her hands and Mical passed Brenda to her. The child happily climbed into waiting arms. Olivia smiled gently and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You've been so busy lately that I thought we cold surprise you," Olivia said softly as she kissed Mica's cheek. Before Mica could reply, someone knocked on the door.

A young blonde poked her head in with out realizing Mica wasn't alone.

"Hey Mical, they need you on se – Oh! I didn't know you were with someone. Sorry," the blonde stuttered. She was about to back out when Mical went to her.

"Hey Tracy, its ok!" Mical opened the door as she called out. Tracy turned back slowly and entered Mica's dressing room.

"Come on in Trace. This is Amber and Brenda," Mica said as she gestured to the two young ladies. Brenda buried her face in Amber's neck as Amber just smiled and waived. Mical turned to Olivia and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"And this here is Detective Olivia Benson," Mical said with pride. Olivia just smiled as she shook Tracy's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Liv said softly. Nodding Tracy smiled then held her headset close to her ear.

"Yeah…found her. She's on her way now," Tracy smiled sheepishly as she looked at the women in the room. "Duty calls," she said as she motioned for Mica to head out.

"We better get going ourselves," Olivia said a little disappointed. Mica just kissed her on the cheek as she held her hands.

"Hey Trace, mind if my entourage hangs around for a couple hours?" Mical said hopefully. She really didn't want to say goodbye too soon.

Trace just looked at their three guests and smiled.

"Sure. No problem. Follow me ladies."

Mical smiled brightly at Tracy and held her hand out for Olivia to take. They all headed out into the hallway and unto the soundstage. Mical made small talk with Tracy as they went. They all found out that Kerry Madison had taken the rest of the week off. Tracy and Mical shared a knowing look. Mical just smirked.

Tracy led Olivia, Amber and Brenda to an area where people won't be bumping into them. Olivia watched as Mical headed for the set and joked around with Ben Martinez and Anthony Cook and a couple of extras. They were handed new scripts and they all quickly looked them over. The director cleared his throat and everyone took their places.

"We're just gonna re-shoot the scene, nothing too crazy. Just a few changes. Sam, you come out of the office as usual but you sidle up next to Anthony, ok?" Martin directed. Sam nodded and headed for his 'office'.

"Dennis, Paulie, you two will split Kerry's lines," Martin pointed to an area of the script.

"I'll take this one," Paul said quietly.

"Great. You need to be a little frustrated when you look at Mical."

"Yeah…got it," Dennis said as he whispered something to Mica who nodded.

"Perfect. Alright everyone! Let's go! PLACES!" The crew jumped up and got busy getting out of the way.

Brenda jumped a little when she heard the director shout, "ACTION." Tracey smiled softly and motioned for the little girl. Amber let her down and Brenda made her way over to Tracey. The young woman picked up Brenda and pointed to the camera. Brenda was wide eye as she watched Mical work.

"_He's got money, has a couple of houses in the Hamptons, and is every woman's fantasy…" Mical said as she ticked off every thing on her fingers. She turned and faced Dennis as she stuffed her hands into her pockets._

"_Which means?" Dennis asked as he looked at the board his arms crossed over his big chest._

"_Which means…?" Mical said slowly as she looked blankly at her co-star. She racked her brain for the next line. She had a ghost of a smile as she improvised, "…somebody's gonna need a make over…," Mical bit her lip trying not to laugh. She shrugged and stared at the camera when nothing else popped into her head._

"_Huh?" Dennis blinked. "Oh!" He laughed and realized Mical had messed up her line. The rest of the cast and crew joined in. _

"_Sorry! Sorry!" Mical laughed and held up her hands. A few extras playfully took jabs at Mical. Even Martin Robbins was laughing. _

"Ok guys! Let's do it again," he said with a wave of his hand.

They re-did the scene. It went pretty well.

"That was better, but could you do it with out the grin, Mical?" Martin called out. Again, everyone laughed. Olivia couldn't help but laugh at them all. She'd never seen anything quite like it.

There came a point in the scene where the police procedure was all wrong. Olivia shook her head and cringed at how it was being handled.

"Uh…this is a closed set. Who are you?" Martin Robbins asked. Olivia snapped her head around. Mical looked up and realized that Martin was going to chew out Olivia. She quickly moved to where Olivia was before things got out of hand.

"She's with me," Mical said with authority. Martin just nodded and apologized. Mical introduced Olivia to Martin.

"Detective, eh?" Olivia nodded still a little shaken. "No wonder she was cringing," he said with a grin. Mical just smiled.

"So…how'd we do?" Martin asked. He was genuinely curious.

"You want the truth?"

"Preferably."

Olivia inhaled and looked over at Mical who just winked and gave her a nod.

"Well, that bit with Captain Doyle and Detective Peters…it was a bit awkward. We don't really talk like that to begin with…"

Mical couldn't help but beam with pride as she just listened to Olivia correct Martin Robbins, the hottest director in this business. Mical caught Ben trying to catch her attention.

Mical left Olivia, knowing she was in safe hands now that Martin knew Olivia was with her. She sauntered over to where Ben was and gave him a curious look.

"What?"

"So? You brought the _family_ here?" Ben said with a twinkle in his eyes. Mical had told Ben about Brenda and Olivia. She trusted him enough with the most important people in her life.

"Yeah, so?" Mical shrugged as she watched Martin put his arm around Olivia's shoulders and guide her to one of the technical consultants on the show. She shook her head and knew that Martin was no doubt trying to offer Olivia a job on the show.

"Nothing. Just that you look happy now a days," Ben said softly. She was. She smiled at him and gave him a wink. Just then Brenda came bouncing towards her.

"Hey baby! You enjoying yourself?" Mical asked as she scooped up the little girl into her arms. Nodding, Brenda wrapped her arms around Mical's neck and rested her cheek against Mical's.

Amber came strolling by.

"Sorry, I just set her down for one second and she was gone!"

"No worries Amber. It's ok." Mical said with a smile. Olivia laughed at something Martin had said as she shook her head.

"Uh-oh," Ben said with a smirk. "Looks like she's getting 'carded' by Robbins," he said playfully. Mical spun around her eyes wide. Ben was right; Martin had taken a card out from his shirt pocket and handed it over to Olivia who just shook her head.

"I'll be right back," Mical said as she crossed the set with Brenda in her arms.

"Are you sure?" Mica heard Martin ask. Olivia just smiled politely.

"Absolutely. I already have a job. But thank you for the offer," Olivia said as she turned and smiled at the two. Brenda reached out and hooked an arm around Olivia's neck and slid easily into her arms.

Martin glanced at Mical. He gestured to Olivia as he said, "Tried to sway her to the dark side." Mical grinned.

"She's good at what she does," she said as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. Martin nodded then turned back to Olivia.

"If you ever change your mind, you let me know," Martin said as he stuffed his business card into Olivia's jacket pocket. Olivia just chuckled.

"You need to get back on set. And stop grinning! You're ruining my scenes!" Martin smiled as he spoke. Mica threw her head back and laughed.

She turned back to Olivia and kissed her on the forehead.

"You guys heading out?" Mical asked softly. Olivia nodded as she waited for Amber to come back.

"Yeah. I'll let you get back to work."

"Ok. I'll see you at…home. Thanks for coming," Mical replied. Amber finally returned and smiled.

"I got Anthony Cooks autograph!" Mical and Olivia just laughed. "We're going?" Both women nodded. After they said their goodbyes, Mical returned to the set and got back to work.

Mical felt a little lighter after their impromptu visit. She enjoyed it very much.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE! BACK TO WORK!"

Everyone groaned playfully.

* * *

"Alright! Mical, can you and Ben have a couple shots over there?" The photographer asked as he pointed to a spot in the room. The two nodded and headed over to where they were needed.

The photographer snapped several pictures and finally stood up, "Perfect! Thanks guys!" Ben and Mical both smiled and waved goodbye.

"I'm exhausted," Ben said tiredly. Nodding, Mica just stretched and yawned.

"I gotta get going. I promised Brenda I'd tuck her in tonight," Mical said as she shook the sleep from her eyes.

"They're good for you, you know that?" Ben said softly. Mical was quiet as she walked next to her friend. "Goodnight man. See you tomorrow…bright and early."

Mical waved as she slipped into her dressing room and grabbed her backpack and jacket. She was too tired to wipe off her make up.

She trudged through the halls and finally got to the front of the studio. She waved at the receptionist and security guard as she went. Outside, she climbed into the car and smiled tiredly at her driver.

"Hey Teddy," Mical said as she fought the urge to close her eyes.

The driver just smiled and started the car. Soon, Mical was fast asleep.

30 minutes later, Teddy was gently waking Mical up.

"Ma'am? We're here," he said softly. Mical jerked awake.

"Oh jeez! Sorry! Thanks Teddy. Have a safe night," Mical stumbled out of the car and into the building.

She dragged herself to her loft and opened the door. It was dimly lit and quiet.

"Jesus, you look like you're gonna pass out," Olivia stated softly. Mical just turned, half asleep, and collapsed into Olivia's arms.

Olivia just held her tightly as not to fall.

"You mean I haven't yet," Mical replied as she fought another yawn. Olivia just kissed her softly and rubbed her back.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Olivia started to pull Mical in the direction of their room, but was stopped when Mical gave a little tug on her arm.

"I have to say goodnight to Brenda."

Smiling, Olivia nodded and led them to Brenda's room. Although the little girl had fought off sleep for as long as she could, Brenda inevitably fell asleep. Mical placed a soft kiss on the girl's forehead and quietly tip toed out of the room.

Olivia then led them to their room where Olivia pulled back the covers just as Mical fell onto the bed. Olivia chuckled and pulled at Mical's arms. The tired woman sat up and groaned.

"Come on you. Let's get you out of these duds," Olivia said teasingly. She helped Mical remove her sweater and shirt. She gave another gentle tug and Mica stood to remove her pants.

Both were long past the awkward phase. They were just so comfortable with the other that nakedness didn't faze them at all. Olivia slipped on a pair of boxers on Mical as the other woman threw on a t-shirt.

"Ready?" Olivia asked quietly. Mical nodded and waited as Olivia climbed in first. Mical slipped in next and pulled the covers over them. Mical fell asleep instantly, her arms wrapped around Olivia.

Olivia smiled and gently placed a kiss on Mical's forehead. She closed her eyes and eventually fell asleep.

* * *

Olivia was awoken from her slumber at 3 am. She wasn't sure what woke her until she heard Mical moan softly behind her.

Turning to face her, Olivia gently cupped Mical's face and tenderly called out to her.

"Mical? Hon, wake up. You're having a nightmare…baby?" Olivia shook Mical a little more forcefully.

Mical jerked awake, sweat beading her forehead and was breathing hard. She blinked a few times until she realized she was with Olivia.

"Mical?" There was so much concern in Olivia's voice that Mical looked away. She sat up pulling the covers off of her and rubbed her face. She felt Olivia slide behind her and wrapped her arms around Mica's waist.

Mical bent her head and shut her eyes as if that would stop the inevitable question. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed as she felt Olivia kiss the back of her neck.

"That's the 3rd time this week Mica," Olivia said softly. She slowly slid her hands up Mica's back and rested on her shoulders. Olivia began a gentle rhythm as she kneaded the tense muscles she found there.

"I'm fine," Mical replied roughly.

"No you're not. You haven't slept a full night last week and you can barley keep you're eyes open during the day."

"I said I was fine!" Mica stood abruptly, knocking Olivia's hands away from her as she paced the room.

"You keep saying that but it's pretty obvious that you're not," Olivia shot back. Mica turned and glared at Liv. She wanted to say something snappy but she just couldn't think of anything.

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

Olivia slid off the bed and stood. She had her hands on her hips and she glared just as hard as Mica did.

"Let it go Liv!" Mical turned to lock herself in the bathroom but Olivia grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"I _can't_! This is killing you Mical! I'm not gonna stand by and watch you do that!" Olivia's voice had risen slightly and she took a step back to calm herself.

Mical just stood there and watched her.

"Damn it! Tell me!" Olivia begged. She cupped Mica's face and shook her slightly.

"For me…do it for me. _Please_. Tell me…," Olivia cried as she spoke. Her hands had slipped into Mical's hair and gently grabbed hold of it as if she were afraid Mical would disappear if she let go.

Mical felt herself slowly break at hearing the desperation in Olivia's voice. Mical held on tight to Olivia. She slammed her eyes tight, fighting the urge to spill everything.

"_Liv_," Mical said brokenly. Olivia couldn't stand hearing Mica so…broken. She pulled Mical's face towards her and slammed her lips onto hers.

"We _need_ you, Mical," Olivia whispered desperately as soon as she pulled away. Mical felt every single wall she had built around her slowly crumble. She shut her eyes tight again as if that would prolong it.

"I _can't_…you won't understand…" Mical said roughly. She was gonna fight this till the end. Olivia gathered Mical into her arms and held on tight.

Olivia shook her head as she whispered in Mical's ear, "I will." Olivia laced a hand into Mical's hair once again while the other kept her close. Mical buried her face into Olivia's neck and inhaled deeply.

Olivia could feel tears soaking her shirt and knew that she was close. Her own were falling down her cheeks.

"What happened?" Olivia whispered. She slowly moved them so Mical's back was propped up against the wall. Olivia continued to move her hands along Mical's back and arms, soothing the other woman.

Completely shattered, Mical said the words that she was unable to say since that terrible night.

"My sister…," Mical choked on the words as she spoke, tears flowing from her eyes, "…she…she was _raped_."


	8. Once Upon a Time

So, so, so, so very sorry for not up dating anything.

Hope this was worth the very long wait….

I own nothing except for my awesome imagination. Lol.

* * *

Once Upon a Time…

"But why can't I stay up with you?" The little girl pouted. She held her stuffed bear tight across her chest as her eyes followed Mica.

Mical slowly knelt down in front of Brenda and smiled softly. Olivia was running back and forth from the bathroom to the closets, tossing outfit after outfit onto the bed. Brenda and Mica both glanced quickly at Olivia and giggled. Mica brushed Brenda's hair away from her forehead and placed a gentle kiss there.

"Baby Girl, we already talked about this. It's too late for you to be up and you have school tomorrow," Mical said softly. It had been 3 months of non-stop filming. They had a handful of good quality episodes under their belt and it was nearing the premier. The cast and crew were having a get together to celebrate the hard work that was put into each episode. Minus Kerry Madison of course.

Olivia had finally settled on an outfit. When Mical had mentioned that the cast were coming over, Olivia had played it cool. But now, standing in front of the mirror, Olivia had to admit…she was nervous.

Mical had also mentioned that she was inviting a couple of her closest friends whom she worked with on another series. She just didn't say _who_ was coming. Olivia was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't feel a pair of arms wrap around her waist. Closing her eyes, Olivia smiled and leaned back into Mical's warmth.

"Hmmm…you smell nice," Mica whispered as she pressed her lips against the side of Olivia's neck. Their relationship, still in its infancy, was slowly growing. With what little time they had together, between their jobs, Mical's publicity stints, and taking care of Brenda, they tried to make the most of it. Most of their time was spent lying in Mical's big comfy bed with Brenda asleep in the middle, whispering in the dark.

In three months, Olivia noticed very small subtle changes in both Brenda and Mical. Brenda was slowly becoming an outgoing, fun loving little girl that didn't want to slow down. Mical, was slowly sharing parts of her, at least the parts she had fond memories of. Olivia was more then happy to sit and listen to anything Mical shared. Olivia knew that it was a small turn for the better.

"Please! Can I stay up?" Brenda whined as she bounced from one foot to the other. Mical sighed and nuzzled Olivia's neck before she turned to the little girl. Olivia smiled. Mical had unending patience when it came to Brenda. Most of the time Brenda was the sweetest little girl. And other times, like now, she would turn on the charm to get her way.

"Brenda," Mical said slowly. It was a gentle warning to the little girl. Brenda sighed and huffed.

"How come?" The little girl asked. Mical grinned and kissed Brenda's forehead.

"You know why," Mica said as she got up and held her hand out to the little girl. Brenda scrunched her nose as she slipped her small hand into Mical's.

"But you said I'm not s'pposed to have a TV in my room," Brenda replied sweetly, deciding to try another tactic. Brenda stared up at Mical, her eyes wide and innocent. Olivia covered her mouth as she fought a giggle.

Mical grinned. She knew all of Brenda's tricks. Mica hunkered down once more as she tapped Brenda's nose.

"I know. But this time is the only exception, Baby Girl," Mica said softly. She watched as Brenda thought of another way to squirm her way into the party. Just then there was a knock on the door. Brenda squealed in excitement. She bounced up and down as Mical glanced at Olivia.

"We'll be right back." Olivia nodded as she gave herself a once over in the mirror. Satisfied, she put the finishing touches on her make up. She heard Brenda greet their first guest and she smiled brightly. The little girl came running back into the bedroom.

"Their here! There here!" Brenda couldn't stop bouncing around until Olivia had to laugh and gently take hold of the little girl's shoulders to keep her still.

"Who is, Baby Girl?" Brenda grinned.

"Uncle Ben! And he brought Michelle and Tracy. Can they play in my room? Can they? Please, please, _please!_" Brenda just couldn't keep still. She was excited that her two friends had come over. Olivia laughed again as she hugged Brenda and nodded.

"Sure Baby Girl." Olivia shook her head as she watched Brenda shoot out of the room and heard a squeal of delight. Mica walked in a smile on her face.

"What did you say to her?" Mical asked amusement written all over her face. Olivia smiled brightly as she slipped her arms around Mical's neck. In response, Mica gave her a smile that was meant only for Olivia's eyes and lovingly caressed her sides.

"Nothing. I just became the 'good-guy'," Olivia said playfully. Rolling her eyes Mical leaned in for a kiss. It would have gotten deeper if Ben hadn't opened his big mouth.

"Hey! That's no way to treat your guests!" Ben hollered from the living room. Olivia and Mical pulled away and sighed. They heard his wife smack him and heard a muffled _'Ben behave'_. The two women laughed and sauntered out of the room together.

Olivia and Megan sat next to each other, swapping notes on how to get the girls eating their vegetables while Ben and Mica talked about the up coming sports season. 10 minutes later, the first group of guests arrived. Soon more of Mical's friends arrived.

It was less then 45 minuets when the party was now in full swing. Mical and Olivia also invited some of their neighbours and all were having a wonderful time.

"Hey Mica! I brought a few edited episodes," Winston called out. Mical smiled brightly at the young man. She liked Winston from when they had worked on another project together. He was turning out to be a great editor.

"Just as long as it's the ones with my good side!" Mica replied back. Everyone laughed. Olivia was enjoying herself as she mingled with the crew. She had become good friends with a few prop designers as well as a few make up artists.

Mical's cell went off. She quickly answered it and smiled brightly a second later.

"Hey, what's up?" Olivia asked as she slid next Mical. She watched as Mica's face turned mischievous. Mical just shrugged.

"Nothing. Just that surprise I was telling you about. I'll be right back," she said as she leaned in to give Olivia a kiss. Then she was out the door. Olivia had a confused look on her face when Ben found her.

"Is everything ok?" He asked gently. Olivia shook her head.

"I have no idea," Olivia said softly. She waited by the door for Mical to return. 10 minutes later, Olivia heard the keys sliding in the door. They slid open and there was Mical, her smile huge as a yacht. And standing behind her were two women Olivia had easily recognized.

"Ohmigod! Is that who I think it is?" Alex whispered behind Olivia. The brunette didn't do anything except stare. Mical had to fight the urge to burst out laughing when she saw Olivia's expression.

Moving to stand next to Olivia, Mical slipped an arm around her waist and gently guided her to the two new arrivals.

"Liv," Mical whispered softly in her ear. "Surprise," Mical said with a smile. She placed a soft kiss against Olivia's cheek. That seemed to pull her out of whatever trance she was in. Olivia blinked rapidly then turned to look at Mical.

"You…you know them?" She asked in wonder. Mical grinned and nodded.

"I've known them for awhile, yes. There my very good friends." She gestured for the two women to join her and Olivia.

"Liv, I'd like you to meet Nikki Wade and Helen Stewart. Nikki, Helen this is Olivia Benson," Mical said with a smile. Nikki and Helen both smiled gently and shook Olivia's hand.

"I take it she's never really mentioned us?" Helen asked with a sexy smirk. Nikki just laughed softly as she slid an arm around Helen's shoulders. Olivia blinked a few more times before she found her voice.

"I…uh…no, no she hasn't," Olivia replied unsteadily.

Helen playfully poked Mical in the arm.

"You sod! You'll give this poor woman a bloody heart attack!" Mical just grinned and shrugged. She placed a gentle hand on the small of Olivia's back to keep her steady.

"So…uh…how do you know Mical?" Olivia asked when the teasing stopped. She still couldn't believe that Nikki Wade and Helen Stewart were standing in front of her.

Helen saw the look on Olivia's face and smiled gently at her.

"Love, why don't you and Mical go get us something to drink, will ya?" Helen asked as she lovingly glanced at her wife. Nikki smiled softly and winked.

"Sure thing babe. Anything in particular?"

Helen shook her head. "Whatever you're having is fine with me." Helen quickly kissed Nikki's cheek then watched as the two women walked to the kitchen, then turned her attention to Olivia.

Helen smiled.

"So…tell me Olivia; how did you tame that stubborn one?" she asked teasingly as she gently guided Olivia further into the crowd as she spoke.

**SVUSVUSVUSVUSVU**

It was 2 hours into the party. Olivia had to step back a bit to catch her breath. She was a normally private person, so this was a little overwhelming.

She watched as Mical easily moved through the room – laughing…so carefree. She couldn't help but remember the night Mical finally opened up about her childhood. It was a complete contrast to the person that was before her now…

"_My sister…," Mical choked on the words as she spoke, tears flowing from her eyes, "…she…she was raped."_

_Olivia's eyes went wide in shock. She slowly slipped her arms around the weeping form and just held her. There, huddled on the ground, Mical finally, almost disjointedly, spoke of that horrible night her life changed._

"_She…we…our birthdays…my birthday was 3 days before hers. We would always celebrate together…," Mical choked out. She held on to Olivia as if it would save her from drowning in her own nightmare._

_Olivia wanted to tell Mical that she didn't have to say anymore, that it was ok. But she knew that if she did, there would never be another chance for Mical to get it out. So she sat silently and held on and listened._

"_Mitchie...we…she liked sharing her birthday with me. Said it's what made us sisters," Mical sobbed. Olivia nodded silently. She kissed the top of Mical's head and ran a soothing hand down her back. _

"_It was the only day that Pappy ever took off work."_

"_Of course he would. It was his two girls' birthday," Olivia said softly. Mical nodded._

"'_They should make it a holiday!' is what he use to say. Ma and Pappy were so happy then...," Mical said as a new wave of tears hit her. She buried her face in the crook of Olivia's neck. She felt Olivia tighten her hold on her, whispering soft, comforting words._

"_But it was different that day," Mical whispered, almost fearful of where her memory will take her to. Mical lifted her head and gazed into Olivia's eyes making sure the older woman knew what was coming next. Olivia reached out and cupped Mical's face ever so gently and nodded. That small bit of contact made all the difference. _

"_What happened?"_

_Swallowing her panic, Mical took a breath as she braced herself for the onslaught. _

"_My…my parents had to go…run to the store to pick up the cake…they weren't even gone long before…," Mical broke off. She couldn't breath. Her throat closed up and she felt as if the air in her lungs was being sucked out of her. Mical had to close her eyes. It was too much for her._

_Olivia grabbed Mical's face in her hands and demanded she look at her._

"_Mical. Look at me. You're alright. Your safe…just look at me sweetie," Olivia said with a strong yet gentle voice. Olivia saw this before in other victims. It was as if the brain couldn't tell what was real anymore and it begun to shut down, protecting it's self from an unknown intruder. _

"_Honey, it's alright. Just take a deep breath. Come on sweetie…no one is gonna hurt you," Olivia coaxed softly. Olivia could see Mical fighting whatever unseen monster was frightening her. Mical held on to Olivia's writs as she forced herself to breath._

_It was a long few moments before Mical could open her eyes. When she did, she saw that Olivia was there. The older woman's eyes held concern, fear and love. Olivia smiled softly as if to sooth away Mical's fears._

_They sat on the floor facing each other in the dark. The only light came from the night light in the hall way outside. Olivia let go of Mical's face but didn't go very far – she begun to run her fingers through Mical's hair, not saying a word, just waiting for her to continue. _

_Sniffing a little and clearing her throat, Mical started again, this time her voice was a little stronger then before._

"_We were setting up the table…just talking. I remember her laughing about something when we heard glass breaking from the living room. Mitchie told me to be quiet and she shoved me under the kitchen sink…'cover your ears and don't say a word', she said. And I did. I covered my ears good…but I could still hear…the sounds…"_

_When Mical looked up at Olivia her tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. Olivia could see so much pain in Mical's beautiful eyes it tore at her. Olivia felt her own fall._

"…_I could hear her just fighting…things falling…I heard her screaming. I never felt so scared in my life. I think I pee'd myself…but I kept quiet. Just like Mitchie told me. Then…it just…it just got quiet…It was so quiet."_

_Michal's voice shook. She remembered the eerie silence…the defining silence. _

"_How long were you hiding for?" Olivia asked softly._

_Mical shrugged. _

"_I don't remember. Awhile I guess. I heard my parents coming back…and…I heard...I heard my mother screaming. She just kept on screaming…"_

"_And they didn't try to find you?" Olivia asked._

"_I…I don't know. All I know is that I just hid and then the cupboard door swung open. I think I heard myself scream or something. The cop that tried to get me out was this big burly guy. Then another cop, Mr. Rudy…he was a friend of my dad's, shoved him away. He got angry at him. Then he just crouched down and started talking to me real quietly."_

_Olivia nodded and continued to wait. _

"_Mr. Rudy asked if it was alright if he picked me up. I guess I said yes because he got me out. He carried me to the living room away from all the…the…," Mical swallowed. She took a steady breath. "I saw my dad…he just looked so…he didn't look like my dad at all. And my mom…oh God…they had to medicate her she was so hysterical."_

_Olivia wiped her eyes. She had heard stories similar to Mical's but knowing that someone she cared about had to live through it…nothing could hurt more than that._

"_The Morgan's…Mr. Rudy and his wife, Miss Althea took care of me after that. They…helped me. A lot…"_

"_What happened to your parents?"_

_A sad look over took Mical._

"_They…I don't know…they just fell apart. Stopped living, I guess."_

_Olivia was quiet. She moved so she was sitting next to Mical and leaned against the wall. She wrapped her arms around Mical's arm and leaned her head against Mica's shoulder._

"_My mom especially…she just…went away. She got so hooked on whatever the doctor had given her she just slowly disappeared. My dad just drank more and more," Mical said softly. She fidgeted with her fingers not knowing what to do with them. _

"_Tell me more about Mr. Rudy and Miss Althea. They sound like wonderful people," Olivia asked wanting Mical to remember something good. And she really wanted to know the people that took care of Mical._

_Mical smiled at the request. _

"_They were…something special. Mr. Rudy was my dad's partner when he was a beat cop. Dad took the Detective exam and Mr. Rudy stayed on the streets. Said it was better to be moving around outside then sitting behind a desk all day," Mical said as she remembered the man. _

"_And Miss Althea?"_

_Mical smiled. _

"_She was…perfect. She had more patience then Mr. Rudy. Which is saying something. I wasn't the easiest kid to look after back then," Mical said with a sad smile. Olivia smiled as she combed her fingers through Mical's hair._

"_That's understandable."_

_Mical nodded. _

"_They did everything they could for me. They even set me up with this shrink. Thought it might help talking about it, ya know? Thing is, I never said a word. I never spoke about it…I couldn't. But the Morgan's always said that it was ok. If I wasn't ready then I wasn't ready. The doctor gave them this name of a teacher for a drama class. The teacher specialized in stuff like this…kids like me. Said it would help with processing stuff if I could pretend to be someone else. Tell it from a different perspective. "_

_Olivia smiled as she slowly nodded._

"_And so the story begins."  
_

_Mical smiled shyly. _

"_I took that class until I graduated from high school. Then I went to the academy," Mical shrugged as she replied softly._

_They continued to speak softly until Olivia noticed Mical's eyes begin to droop. _

"_Let's get you to bed honey," Olivia requested quietly. She slowly got up and reached down to pull Mical to her feet. They stumbled to the bed and climbed in. They lay facing each other, their fingers intertwining. _

"_Thanks," Mical said softly. Olivia smiled and kissed the tip of Mical's nose._

"_Don't mention it." Mical laughed at that. "Sleep sweetheart. I'll be here if you need me," Olivia said as she wrapped her free hand around Mical's waist and pulled her in close. They closed their eyes and felt sleep surround them. That night Mical slept, for the first time, without nightmares. _

**SVUSVUSVUSVUSVU**

"Hey, you alright?"

Mical had seen the distant look on Olivia's face and wandered over. Olivia blinked several times and realized where she was and smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry. Just wandered off for a second. How's the party?"

Mical's eyes narrowed slightly. She knew when Olivia was trying to ward her off of something. She didn't like being left in the loop.

"Everything's good. You sure you're ok?" Nodding, Olivia took the glass of wine that Mical held for her and took a sip.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Work…always thinking about work," Olivia said as she gestured to her head. Mical studied Olivia for a second.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Olivia shook her head and smiled once more.

"Later. We'll talk later," Olivia said in a tone that had Mical understanding what it was Olivia wanted to discuss. Sighing, Mical just nodded silently.

"Hey! You two get over here! You're missing out on all the fun!" Someone had called out to them. Smiling tightly, Mical placed a hand at Olivia's back and guided them both back to the large group. They had gathered around the flat screen as one of the show's editors popped in the DVD.

They sat in silence as they watched the first episode. Olivia had to admit, she was impressed.

"Didn't I tell you? It was the ex-wife!" Someone exclaimed as the episode ended. A chorus of voices followed suit as they debated back and forth. Mical gave Olivia a light squeeze as she looked at her.

"So…did you like it?" Mical asked softly. She was getting a little tired now and it was beginning to show. Olivia reached up and brushed the hair that had stubbornly fallen into Mical's eyes. She smiled and gave Mical a tender kiss.

"Yeah, I was impressed. You did your homework well," Olivia replied with a grin. Mical smiled back.

They vaguely heard someone in the background groaning.

"Mom and dad are at it again!" A teasing voice called out. Everyone laughed and Mical just shook her head and rolled her eyes as Olivia started to laugh.

"You're lucky I haven't kicked any of you out!" Mical retorted playfully. She held her hand out for Olivia to take and the two women returned to the group.

Olivia kept a close eye on Mical noticing the way she held herself. Olivia knew Mical was nearing exhaustion and she didn't want her to over due it. Olivia also noticed Mical moving very sluggish – nothing like her usual self.

Apparently, Olivia wasn't the only one to notice. Alex sidled up along side Olivia and gave her friend a small smile.

"How is she? She's been on the go since we all got here," Alex said in way of a greeting. Olivia smiled tiredly as she nodded.

"She's…she's getting there. Might have to cut the party short though," Olivia replied with a tired sigh. Alex nodded. She put down her drink and turned to face Olivia. The tall blond leaned in and gave Olivia a tight hug.

"I'll get going then," Alex said.

"I didn't mean for you to-" Olivia stuttered as she looked at her friend. Alex just smiled and shook her head.

"Early start. I have to be in court in the morning. Appeals for gods sakes! _Appeals!_" Alex said with a dramatic wave of her hand. Olivia couldn't help but laugh. Mical heard Olivia's laughter and turned around just as she saw Olivia walking Alex to the door.

She quickly excused herself and bee lined towards the pair.

"Hey, you leaving already?" Mical opened her arms wide to give Alex a hug. She felt Alex nodded and pulled away from the woman.

Alex held up a hand to stop the protests from coming. "Court…bright and early. Thank you so much for inviting me."

"Thank _you_ for coming," Mical said a little shyly. Just as Mical was about to slide the door open, one of the writers and producer of the show came over quickly.

"Hey, you didn't hear any of this, but…" the two looked around conspicuously and leaned in as the lowered their voices. "We may be getting our selves a new ADA by mid-season. If were lucky, it may be sooner," the producer caught Mical's eye and winked.

Mical's and Olivia's eyes widened and her jaw went slack. Alex looked like a dear in headlights. The writer grinned and placed a finger to her lips while the producer just wiggled his eyebrows.

"On second thought, I think I'll stay a little longer," Alex said as she took her coat off. They all laughed. Rejoining the group, Alex, Olivia and Mical kept throwing looks at each other while the writer and producer just smiled knowing they had hit the jackpot.

Walter, the producer, wandered back over to Mical.

"You know anyone that would be a good fit with the show? The big boss man just wants to cut his losses now and be done with it. He just told me this morning so we're basically scrambling to fill that spot before we roll out the next few episodes," Walt asked quietly. Olivia glanced around the room and spotted Helen.

"What about Helen? She said she wasn't attached to any projects," Olivia asked suggested politely. Walter looked surprised at first then turned thoughtful. He glanced over to where Helen was speaking with a few of Mical's co-stars then smiled as he returned his gaze back to Olivia and Mical.

"I think that might just work," then he glanced at Mical with a grin on his face. "She's a keeper," Walter said with a wink. And with that Walter made his way to the producer and writer and spoke softly. The three all glanced at Helen and nodded in agreement, big smiles on their faces.

"Wow…you gotta knack for that," Mical said quietly. She slipped an arm around Olivia's waist. Olivia shrugged as she slid into her custom spot.

"It's my job to read people," Olivia said with a soft smile. Mical would have said something coy but a smack to the shoulder stopped her.

"Ow!" Mical rubbed her shoulder before she turned around to see who the offender was. Helen had a playful smirk on her face as she stood with her hands on her hips.

"What do you think you're up to?" Helen asked in her thick accent.

Mical shook her head as she pointed to Olivia.

"She did it!" Mical retorted playfully. Helen laughed as she turned to Olivia. She gave the woman a huge smile as she hugged the woman.

"Thank you." Mical's jaw dropped.

"Hey! I get a whack to the shoulder and she get's a hug…that is _so_ not fair!" Mical said childishly. Helen and Olivia laughed.

"Well thanks to you, I just may have a reason to stay in New York," Helen grinned. Nikki came strolling by and shoved a playful elbow at Mical.

"Not you too!" Nikki laughed.

"Oy! Anything to make the missus happy!" Nikki retorted with a grin. The two women grabbed their coats and slipped them on.

"So I guess you'll be seeing more of me soon, yeah?" Helen said softly. Mical and Olivia smiled brightly and nodded.

"You just take good care of her, mate," Nikki said as she drew Mical into a big hug.

Finally saying their good byes, Nikki and Helen left for the night. Soon the other guests were lining up and saying their good byes.

Ben and his wife both had each girl in their arms. The two were fast asleep.

"Brenda was out cold so I just tucked her into her bed. Hope that's alright?" Megan whispered. Olivia nodded and placed a loving kiss on each of the girl's sleepy heads.

"Thanks for coming," Mical said quietly. She rubbed Tracy's back as she nodded good bye to her friend.

Soon enough, Olivia and Mical were alone. They leaned back against the door and stared at the mess.

Olivia was the first to move. She began to pick up the empty plates and cups while Mical picked up the empty chip bowls and platters.

"Why don't you head to bed. I can finish up here," Olivia suggested. Mical shook her head as she tossed a few napkins into a large garbage bag.

"That's alright. Besides we're almost done." Mical went to the kitchen and grabbed a broom and dust pan. With in minutes, she had several piles of dirt and dust ready to sweep up.

Olivia was the first to hear Brenda whimpering in her room. Mical looked up with concerned eyes.

"You go and get her. I'll finish up and come in," Olivia directed. Mical nodded and handed over the broom.

"Just leave the dishes for tomorrow," Mical offered as she headed for the room. Olivia nodded and quickly made work of the mess and placed the broom back in its place. She washed her hands and dried them quickly.

Olivia could hear Mical's soothing voice as made her way to the little girl's room. Mical was sitting on the side with an arm around Brenda, speaking softly. The little girl looked up and gave Olivia a teary smile.

"Bad dream, Baby?" Olivia whispered. Brenda nodded. Olivia smiled gently as she wiped away her tears. "We'll stay here until it goes away, ok?" Brenda nodded again and snuggled close to Olivia and Mical.

They sat there holding tightly onto Brenda. Mical leaned over and placed a loving kiss on top of the girl's head.

"Story?" Mical asked. Brenda smiled and nodded.

"Long, long ago. In a far off land, there was a beautiful princess. She had long beautiful hair and bright blue eyes…"

Olivia watched as Mical spoke softly. Brenda's head grew heavy against Olivia and she knew that the girl was slowly falling asleep. She leaned down and kissed Brenda and rubbed her back. She smiled as she saw a ghost of a smile on Brenda's face and knew that the little girl would sleep through the night.

Looking up, Olivia smiled as she listened to the story. Mical was an amazing story teller especially when it was for Brenda's benefit.

Mical finally finished her story and placed a soft kiss on Brenda's cheek. She helped Olivia settle the girl into bed once more. The two padded softly out the door and made their way into their room.

They undressed both exhausted from the party. Climbing in, they snuggled close, their arms and legs tangled around each other.

Olivia leaned in and kissed Mical softly.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Olivia asked almost asleep. Mical chuckled softly.

"Not really. But we'll talk about it tomorrow," Mical replied as she yawned. Olivia was already fast asleep. Smiling to herself, Mical took comfort in the strong arms that were wrapped around her.

Soon, sleep surrounded them.


End file.
